| yorkietalkjilly | 04-16-2014 10:06 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by yorkiefan_
(Post 4422352)
What's funny is that theimage of the moon is no bigger when it's low on the horizon vs when it's high. I know it's really hard to believe that since the moon looks enormous just as it's rising or setting, but it's nothing to do with the atmosphere expanding the image so it looks big. It's purely in our heads; our brains interpret things low on the horizon as being bigger since we have building, mountains, signs, etc to compare the moon against when looking at it low on the horizon. If you measure the angle subtended by the full moon, say using your fingers with your arm fully oitstretched, you'll get the same measurement when the full moon is low as when it is high!
| Actually, it's not hard to believe at all and I didn't want to leave you thinking I was a nutcase thinking the moon would grow. ;) I think people generally realize the moon doesn't grow or enlarge itself when it's lower on the horizon and downsize when it rises higher up - we generally only speak in perceptions or how things appear to us - not factually. When I told Christinee the October blood moon would be lower and larger, I gave her credit for automatically understanding the moon wasn't going to somehow grow larger when it was low in the sky - just that it would appear that way when she saw it in an orbit lower on the horizon. That's all I meant. | 