Okay, I’m not as bright, I’m a little dim...
but “Girdling both sides of the equator...” does this refer to the obvious two ‘equators’ of lighter color there? (I know no way of putting it in intelligent language).
I mean this picture obviously displays two bands of much lighter, and so hotter rings around the sun in what would be about equator areas?
Those two brighter bands girdle the equator. :’)