1.1.10. Evidence for Scattering Particles in Meteor Streams

Abstract

From observations made with a photometer placed on board D2A-Tournesol from April 1971 to June 1973 at ε = ± 90° for all ecliptic latitudes, we had deduced that the intensity of the zodiacal light is not constant, but shows fluctuations, some of which we correlated with cometary debris. The measurements were carried out by scanning the celestial sphere in a plane orthogonal to the Sun-Earth direction with a one minute period (LEVASSEUR et BLAMONT, 1973). BURNETT, SPARROW and NEY (1974) have pointed out that our data could have been contaminated by stray moonlight; we have therefore refined our data analysis and conclude that indeed fluctuations of the intensity of the zodiacal light do exist, even when the Moon is much below the horizon.