Zoom-in on our model “needle.” As long as the coronagraphic mask covers enough of the central cavity—specifically the region near periapse, where the disk is at maximum brightness—then the disk’s longer arm can appear brighter than its shorter arm, as is consistent with observations of HD 15115. Accompanying surface brightness profiles for each arm are computed vs. radius ﹩| x| ﹩ by integrating over y. Each profile features a local maximum where the line of sight intersects regions near the ansa of the cavity rim.