Strange pre-dawn phenomenon

[Macavity]

A few nights ago, I waited for Jupiter to rise sufficiently (to clear my shed roof!) to try out my MAK150. But I was frustrated by the coincidental arrival of a horizontal cloud bank.

However...

As the sun rose (presumably) behind the cloud, a single, diffuse, arc of "light" appeared, traversing the whole sky - From sun position to the opposite point on the sky? Or at least that's what I thought I saw! Just one ray (the same width as the milky way) was involved and it lasted for but a few minutes. There seemed to be no obvious, discrete, high clouds to be illuminated. The effect seemed REAL, but who knows...

OK, not hugely spectacular, but has anyone seen such a thing, or have a possible explanation?

[toml42]

what are your observing conditions like? if they're particularly good, it sounds like you may have observed Zodiacal light, sunlight scattering off space-dust in the inner solar system

[brianb]

has anyone seen such a thing, or have a possible explanation?

Crepuscular rays ....

[Macavity]

The seeing was (as ever) rather indifferent? At 200m above a nearby coastline, we do seem to get quite a few bizarre weather phenomena. But I do sense it was indeed some variant on (morning!) crepuscular rays. It was quite interesting nevertheless. I am impressed with the number of (even local!) solar phenomena... At this time of year, particularly, never a dull moment, seemingly?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo_(optical_phenomenon)

etc. etc.

[yeti monster]

Could it have been a sun column?

[toml42]

yeah, sounds most likely to be Crepuscular rays, zodiacal light is pretty unlikely i guess