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Earthbound Space Dust Comes From Solar System's Edge

For the first time, researchers confirm dust from the zodiacal cloud comes from more than 2 billion miles from Earth.

By Theo Nicitopoulos, Knowable Magazine
May 17, 2022 8:00 PMMay 18, 2022 3:20 PM
Zodiacal cloud
The zodiacal cloud as seen from Earth. (Credit: ANON MUENPROM/Shutterstock)

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When you notice that faint glow of reflected sunlight in the dark sky just before dawn and after twilight, you’re actually looking at the zodiacal dust cloud. The dust envelops our inner solar system and up to 30,000 tons of its particles spiral into Earth’s atmosphere every year, according to some estimates.

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