First detection of visible zodiacal dust bands from ground-based observations

We present the first ground-based observational evidence of the zodiacal dust bands originally discovered by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and confirmed by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE). Our photometric observations have been performed on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, between 1997 October 29 and November 2, using a 24 mm wide-angle lens attached to a cooled CCD camera, and a blue filter centered at 440 nm. Photometric data of the morning zodiacal light have revealed the presence of zodiacal dust bands at ecliptic latitudes beta = 0 degrees, 3 degrees, and +/- 10 degrees, as well as additional faint structures at approximately beta = +/- 5 degrees, between solar elongations epsilon = 75 degrees and 90 degrees. The brightness of dust bands is approximately 2%-3% of the background zodiacal light. Moreover, our observation of the Gegenschein has discovered dust bands at beta = +2 degrees, -4 degrees, and -9 degrees at 165 degrees less than or equal to epsilon less than or equal to 185 degrees. Using the separation of the inner dust band pair observed in two different regions of epsilon, we estimate the parallactic distance of this band pair to be about 1.6 AU from the Sun.