[RightWhale]

looking out from planet Earth in the direction opposite the Sun yields a bright spot called the gegenschein.

Most of us will never see these subtle phenomena again. Light pollution has washed out the night sky. Even most of those who think their night sky is dark have never seen an actual dark sky.

[vanillachase]

That's so true. I live in the suburbs, and always thought the stargazing there was OK... until one night a few years ago when I went camping in the middle of the Daniel Boone National Forest. I'd never seen anything like it.