Dinosaur National Monument has received the official certification of dark sky, and they have kept the Uintah Basin knowledgeable about what events to look for in the night sky. The most recent event is the Zodiacal Light. This event is also called “false dawn”. It happens as a result of the sun’s light reflecting off cosmic dust scattered in our solar system. The event appears in early spring and fall and because of the moonless evenings in early February we are in the best conditions to see it. Tonight the sky will be moonless, so find a clear view of the western horizon to look for this phenomenon. Dinosaur National Monument recommends Cub Creek Road. This time of year zodiacal light forms after sunset so a good time to start looking is around 6pm. “If it forms, the zodiacal light will appear right above where the Sun went down. Look for the red glow of sunset in the west. See if you can spot a faint pillar of light above it. The pillar will extend along the imaginary line that the Sun follows through the sky, which also goes through the zodiac constellations.” 
Photo credit: Dinosaur National Monument Facebook Page
