Zodiacal light surface brightness measurements by Atmosphere Explorer-C

Abstract

Using the visible airglow photometer on the Atmosphere Explorer-C satellite, we have mapped the zodiacal light surface brightness at the wavelengths monitored by the instrument: 3371, 4278, 5200, 5577, 6300, and 7319 A. The study constitutes a survey over this wavelength range, covering most of the celestial sphere, from altitudes above the atmospheric emissions, and free from atmospheric scattering and attenuation. The intensity variations reveal enhancements near elongations of 130[deg], and possibly near 60[deg], at all wavelengths. The intensity of the zodiacal light near the ecliptic pole is found to be ~30 S10. The color ratio with respect to the Sun is found to be redder than the Sun (0.7) at all elongations.