Zodiacal light

Zodiacal light
Zodiacal o*di"a*cal, a. [Cf. F. zodiacal.] (Astron.) Of or pertaining to the zodiac; situated within the zodiac; as, the zodiacal planets. [1913 Webster]

{Zodiacal light}, a luminous tract of the sky, of an elongated, triangular figure, lying near the ecliptic, its base being on the horizon, and its apex at varying altitudes. It is to be seen only in the evening, after twilight, and in the morning before dawn. It is supposed to be due to sunlight reflected from multitudes of meteoroids revolving about the sun nearly in the plane of the ecliptic. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • zodiacal light — n. a faint illumination along the ecliptic, visible in the west just after sunset or in the east just before sunrise …   English World dictionary

  • Zodiacal light — The zodiacal light is a faint, roughly triangular, whitish glow seen in the night sky which appears to extend up from the vicinity of the sun along the ecliptic or zodiac. In mid northern latitudes, the zodiacal light is best observed in the… …   Wikipedia

  • zodiacal light — a luminous tract in the sky, seen in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise and thought to be the light reflected from a cloud of meteoric matter revolving round the sun. [1725 35] * * * Band of very faint light in the night sky. It… …   Universalium

  • zodiacal light — /zoʊˌdaɪəkəl ˈlaɪt/ (say zoh.duyuhkuhl luyt), /ˌzoʊdiækəl/ (say .zohdeeakuhl) noun a luminous tract in the sky, seen in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise and thought to be the light reflected from a cloud of meteoric matter… …  

  • zodiacal light — noun A soft glow of white light extending upward from the horizon along the ecliptic, particularly in the tropics …   Wiktionary

  • ZODIACAL LIGHT —    a track of light of triangular figure with its base on the horizon, which in low latitudes is seen within the sun s equatorial plane before sunrise in the E. or after sunset in the W., and which is presumed to be due to a glow proceeding from… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • zodiacal light — noun Astronomy a faint elongated cone of light sometimes seen in the night sky, extending from the horizon along the ecliptic …   English new terms dictionary

  • zodiacal light — zodi′acal light′ n. astron. a luminous tract in the sky, seen in the west after sunset or in the east before sunrise • Etymology: 1725–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • zodiacal light — noun Date: 1734 a diffuse glow seen in the west after twilight and in the east before dawn …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • zodiacal light — noun a luminous tract in the sky; a reflection of sunlight from cosmic dust in the plane of the ecliptic; visible just before sunrise and just after sunset (Freq. 2) • Hypernyms: ↑reflection, ↑reflexion …   Useful english dictionary

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