In the August 19, 1995 edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day , we see little specks of light representing planets as seen by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. Earth, though, shows up as a speck of light within a sort of yellow-red band of light.
Does anyone know what that band represents?
It’s the alien thought-control laser. 
In the Explanation if your click on looked back at six planets you find the following:
“The background features in the images are artifacts resulting from the magnification. … Earth appears to be in a band of light because it, coincidentally lies right in the center of the scattered light rays resulting from taking the image so close to the sun.”
So a lense flare.
Ah… I hadn’t clicked on all of those links. Thanks!