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A Faint Gegenschein

Look at the bright star near the left border of the photo: Spica. From a distance you will see a brightening around this star.

 

This brightening is the Gegenschein, sunlit scattered by interplanetary dust at the antisolar point.

 

The Gegenschein is really difficult to spot, you need a clear moonless night and the help of a camera, in my photo battling some light pollution it is faintly visible.

 

Knowing that the antisolar point was near Spica at the time the photo was taken helped a lot.

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Uploaded on May 31, 2013
Taken on May 12, 2013