The influence of the brightness of the asteroidal dust bands on the Gegenschein

The position and shape of the Gegenschein's maximum brightness provide information on the structure of the interplanetary dust cloud. We show that the asteroidal dust bands, extended near the anti-solar point, play an important role in determining both the position of the maximum brightness and the shape of the Gegenschein. After removing the asteroidal dust bands from an observation of the Gegenschein on November 2, 1997, it was found that the maximum brightness point shifted -0.4degrees in ecliptic latitude, i.e., to the south of the ecliptic plane, at an ecliptic longitude of 180degrees, in contrast to a latitude value of 0.1degrees when the dust bands were included. Furthermore, the part of the Gegenschein to the south of the ecliptic plane was brighter than the northern part at the time of observation. Referring to the cloud model of T. Kelsall et al. (1998, Astrophy. J. 508, 44-73), it can be estimated that the ascending node of the symmetry plane of the dust cloud is 57degrees(-3)(+7degrees). when its inclination is 2.03degrees -/+ 0.50degrees. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.