[Batrachian]

"Zodiacal dust orbits the Sun predominantly in the same plane as the planets: the ecliptic. Zodiacal light is so bright in the north this time of year because the dust band is oriented nearly vertical at sunrise..."

I don't get it. If Zodiacal dust is in the plane of the ecliptic then how can it be vertical? Can someone explain this more clearly?

[Yossarian]

I don't get it. If Zodiacal dust is in the plane of the ecliptic then how can it be vertical? Can someone explain this more clearly?

It isn't very complex at all: The plane of the ecliptic runs East-West across the equator of planet Earth (assuming we're traveling exactly in the galactic plane).

So if you look at the eastern horizon then up, the ecliptic will go from in front of you to in back of you (i.e. vertical), and off a bit to the right since you're in the northern hemisphere.

Alternatively, look at the southern horizon then up, the ecliptic will run left to right (i.e. horizontal).