Gegenschein

[glenc]

The Gegenschein (GAY-guhn-shine) was easy to see tonight. It is to the left of M45 above Aries. I think its size is nearly 30 by 15 degrees.

"Like the zodiacal light (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiacal_light) the gegenschein is sunlight reflected by interplanetary dust (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplanetary_dust). Most of this dust is orbiting the sun in about the ecliptic plane (zodiac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac)). It is distinguished from zodiacal light by its high angle of reflection of the incident sunlight on the dust particles. It forms a slightly more luminous, oval glow directly opposite the Sun within the band of luminous zodiacal light. The intensity of gegenschein is (relatively) enhanced because (a) each dust particle is seen in full phase (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_phase), and (b) the backscattering (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backscattering) geometry leads to constructive interference."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gegenschein

[Merlin66]

A wonderful sight!
In over forty years of observing I've only ever seen it definately, like I mean stand out, on two occasions.
The first was during a caravaning trip to Hawker, SA in the early 80's and the second on one of those perfect nights at Heathcote, Vic a few years ago.
I'm reading a great book on EE Barnard " The immortal fire within" where he describes the first time he saw it in 1883....." 20' in diameter, roundish, resembling a patch of dense haze or fog, pretty even in light, ill defined borders, very dense by averted vision, dimming the clouds (of stars) over which it passed...I should say the object was as noticable as the milky way near Orion"
It was originally sighted by the Jesuit priest Esprit Pezenas in 1731

[ausastronomer]

It should be visible at IISAC 2008, at Lostock, on the weekend.

I have seen it fairly easily from that location in the past.

At IISAC 2006 held at the end of January 2006, Saturn was at Opposition and located in Cancer. It was quite neat to see Saturn sitting there blazing away around midnight, smack bang in the middle of the Gegenschein.

Cheers,
John B

[GrahamL]

Yours or Robs place I can't remember but It was fairly obvious if I recall glen ?