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To: neverdem
Our own solar system, the astronomers pointed out, has a similar disk of junk, known as the Kuiper Belt, a band of icy debris on the fringes of our own solar system, as well as dust in the inner regions that gives rise to the zodiacal light.

Zodiacal light? Astronomers are such poets.

Here's a NASA photo:


Zodiacal Light
Credit & Copyright: D. Malin
Explanation: Sometimes the sky itself seems to glow. Usually, this means you are seeing a cloud reflecting sunlight or moonlight. If the glow appears as a faint band of light running across the whole sky, you are probably seeing the combined light from the billions of stars that compose our Milky Way Galaxy. But if the glow appears triangular and near the horizon, you might be seeing something called zodiacal light. Pictured above, zodiacal light is just sunlight reflected by tiny dust particles orbiting in our Solar System. Many of these particles were ejected by comets. Zodiacal light is easiest to see in September and October just before sunrise from a very dark location.

18 posted on 12/21/2004 9:59:16 AM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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To: Veto!

Thanks for the pic and comment.


20 posted on 12/21/2004 10:01:49 AM PST by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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