When trying to get some nightime skyscape images from a beach on Sanibel Island in Florida, I slowly became aware of a diffuse light brightening the sky behind the clouds. It took me a while to convince myself it was real, but when my eyes adjusted to the darkness I became more and more convinced that it was. At first I couldn’t make sense of it at all – for a moment I was just thinking, it surely isn’t an aurora as it was in the south-west sky.

Only when I reviewed the images on the camera display I realized that this is the zodiacal light. I found this quite amazing, as at the latitude where I live it is only visible in autumn and spring. In Florida which is much closer to the equator it is also visible in winter due to the high angle of the ecliptic with the horizon.

Two-Panel mosaic showing the Zodiacal light and Milky way over the Gulf of Mexico, Image taken on Sanibel Island, Florida, 30s, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Samyang 14mm, Nkon D750

Orion, Plejades behind Palm Tree, 30s, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Samyang 14mm, Nkon D750

Milky Way, 30s, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Samyang 14mm, Nkon D750

Zodiacal Light, 30s, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Samyang 14mm, Nkon D750

30s, f/3.5, ISO 3200, Samyang 14mm, Nkon D750