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The size of the moon

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  • 19-09-2013 9:16pm
    #1
    Rollercoaster
    Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭


    Why does the moon look larger in the early evening than in the middle of the night?

    Is it an optical illusion?


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    #2
    Maximus Alexander
    Registered Users Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    Yes it's an optical illusion, the moon looks larger the closer it is to the horizon, but it is actually the same size.

    Hold out your thumb at arms length, close one eye and use your thumb to cover the moon. It will be close to covering it exactly. Do this at any time and you will see that it is the same.


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    #3
    Aiel
    Registered Users Posts: 501 ✭✭✭Aiel


    I always found it to be probably the best optical illusion there is. I remember reading somewhere a guy giving an explanation for it but then yrs later I read on Spaceweather.com who just came right out and said they are still unsure the exact reason for it, honesty is best:).


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    #4
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,366 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    When the full moon is just above the horizon it looks much bigger than when it's high in the sky. One of those optical ilusions for which there is no explanation as the previous post said.


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    #5
    slade_x
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 1,424 Mod ✭✭✭✭slade_x


    coylemj wrote: »
    When the full moon is just above the horizon it looks much bigger than when it's high in the sky. One of those optical ilusions for which there is no explanation as the previous post said.

    There is an explanation for it. the problem lies in human perception and just how inadequate our senses are to accurately judge reality.

    If you want the easy entertaining explanation a documentary well worth checking out:

    http://www.history.com/shows/your-bleeped-up-brain

    http://jeffwise.net/2013/07/27/heres-me-in-your-bleeped-up-brain/

    There are 4 in total

    Otherwise i would suggest research in modern psychology and neuroscience to get a good idea just how flawed our perception really is. And exactly why it occurs. We have known this for a long time now.

    For example here is a simple one:

    optical-illusion2.jpg

    Which Purple Tree is larger? Seems obvious doesnt it

    Answer (They are both the same size and even when you know they are the same size your brain is still fooled) dont believe me? open it in an editor and cut the top tree out and place it next to the bottom one.

    To see the Answer highlight the above 2 lines


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