A ghostly "false dawn" is about to illuminate the predawn sky — if you know where to look. Starting today (Sept. 9), skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere have a rare chance to spot the zodiacal light, a subtle, pyramid-shaped glow that appears in the east before morning twilight. This phenomenon occurs when sunlight reflects off tiny dust particles floating in the solar system, creating a faint, cone-shaped light that stretches upward from the horizon. The zodiacal light is sometimes called the "false dawn" because its soft glow can be mistaken for the early signs of daylight. However, unlike the morning sun, the zodiacal light forms a distinct cone or wedge of light that follows the ecliptic — the path the sun, moon, and planets appear to take across the sky. This makes it easier to distinguish from the regular dawn, especially when viewed under dark, clear skies. Early fall offers an excellent opportunity for northern observers to spot the zodiacal light before sunrise. During this time, the angle of the ecliptic allows the glow to rise more prominently above the eastern horizon. To see it, you need to be far from city lights, looking east around 4:00 a.m. EDT. It's important to let your eyes adjust to the darkness and avoid bright lights, such as phones, which can make it harder to see the faint glow. To locate the zodiacal light, follow the cone of light as high as possible. Under ideal, dark skies, you can trace this glow through the zodiac constellations that lie along the ecliptic. The base of the light cone will begin near the constellation Cancer, just above the horizon, stretching upward through Gemini and reaching high into the predawn sky toward Taurus. If you're interested in photographing the zodiacal light, the process is similar to capturing the Milky Way. Use a fast, wide-angle lens (such as a 14 mm lens at f/2.8) to frame the light's sweeping diagonal across the sky. Set your camera to a high ISO (1600 to 3200) and take a 15- to 20-second exposure on a fixed tripod to capture the faint glow effectively.