Saturday's Full Moon Offers Strange Illusion

Dark Knight

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SPACE.com


This weekend's full moon hangs lower in the sky than any other full moon of 2007, according to NASA, and it's a good time to be fooled.

When low on the horizon, the Moon can appear to be larger than when it's higher in the sky. It's all an illusion, scientists say, and it does not involve any enlarging effects of the atmosphere. Rather, it's all in your mind.


Here's how it works:


Our brains think things on the horizon are farther away than stuff overhead, because we're used to seeing overhead clouds that are close compared to those on the horizon. In the mind's eye, the sky is a flattened dome.


With this dome as a reference, we expect something on the horizon (such as the moon) to be farther, and because it is actually no farther than when overhead, our brains goof and imagine that it is larger.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20070629/sc_space/saturdaysfullmoonoffersstrangeillusion;
 
Wow, it is hanging in the sky low!

I have been looking at the moon all night, it was really beautiful earlier, with blue and purple haze...........I love that moon.......even though it keeps me awake..
 
Thanks for the info, DK. We had a blast watching the space station and shuttle zoom by in the night sky. Tonight, the moon!
 
Wow, it is hanging in the sky low!

I have been looking at the moon all night, it was really beautiful earlier, with blue and purple haze...........I love that moon.......even though it keeps me awake..


I just got in from walking one of my pups - the moon is brilliant, beautiful!

As for the moon keeping you awake Kitty - here is the US, we close our eyes when we sleep. Helps keep the light out. :p
 
I just got in from walking one of my pups - the moon is brilliant, beautiful!

As for the moon keeping you awake Kitty - here is the US, we close our eyes when we sleep. Helps keep the light out. :p

Wasn't it :)

LOL- ah ha that's my problem! who said us Aussies were stoopid :slap:
 
My kids are camping at the CreationEast Music Fest. How nice that the full moon is making such a lovely appearance for them.
 
DK, thanks for letting us know. I pointed it out to my husband last night. It was beautiful.
 

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