An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A faint glow of light in the night sky seen exactly opposite the Sun. The gegenschein is sunlight back-scattered off millimeter-sized dust particles along the ecliptic. In comparison with zodiacal light (forward-scattered sunlight), which is triangular in shape and found near the horizon, the gegenschein is roughly circular. Same as counterglow.

Etymology (EN): Gegenschein, from Ger. gegen “counter, opposed to” (O.H.G. gegin, gagan, M.Du. jeghen, E. against, again)

• Schein “glow, shine” (M.H.G. schinen, O.H.G. skinan,
  P.Gmc. *skinanan; E. shine; cf. Mod.Pers. sâyé “shadow;” Mid.Pers. sâyak “shadow;” Av. a-saya- “throwing no shadow;” Skt. chāya- “shadow;” Gk. skia “shade;” Rus. sijat’ “to shine;” PIE base *skai- “bright”).

Etymology (PE): Pâdfrouq “counterglow,” from pâd- “agaist, contrary to” (from Mid.Pers. pât-; O.Pers. paity “agaist, back, opposite to, toward, face to face, in front of;” Av. paiti; cf. Skt. práti “toward, against, again, back, in return, opposite;” Pali pati-; Gk. proti, pros “face to face with, toward, in addition to, near;” PIE *proti) + foruq “light, brightness” (related to rôšan “light; bright, luminous;” ruz “day,” afruxtan “to light, kindle;” Mid.Pers. payrog “light, brightness,” rošn light; bright," rôc “day;” O.Pers. raucah-; Av. raocana- “bright, shining, radiant,” raocah- “light, luminous; daylight;”
cf. Skt. rocaná- “bright, shining, roka- “brightness, light;” Gk. leukos “white, clear;” L. lux “light” (also lumen, luna; E. light, Ger. Licht, and Fr. lumière;
PIE base *leuk- “light, brightness”).