Why the moon sometimes looks bigger?

Answer 1

This effect is called the moon illusion and has been debated for years. Although the moon appears larger near the horizon, it really isn't. You can measure the size of the moon by holding a hole-punched index card at arm's length. The moon is about the same size as the hole both on the horizon and high in the sky.

Some people believe the moon appears larger on the horizon because you have reference points like trees and buildings. Not true. The moon illusion is caused by how we perceive the sky. It is too complicated for me to explain, but these Web sites below will make everything crystal clear:

Answer 2

Bad Astronomy: The Moon appears larger on the horizon than overhead because you are comparing it to foreground objects.

Good astronomy: The Moon does appear larger on the horizon, but it is because of the way we perceive the sky.
What's going on:
It's almost certain you have seen this yourself: the Full Moon rises over the horizon, bloated and fat. But a few hours later it is high in the sky and appears much smaller. Why?

This is the famous 'Moon Illusion', and is also true for the Sun. The most common misconception is that it is because you are unconsciously comparing the Moon to foreground objects like trees and houses, or even the horizon itself, and that makes the Moon look bigger than when it is all alone in the sky. This turns out to be false. As it happens, there are already excellent descriptions of this effect on the web. Probably the best is by Donald Simanek, Professor of Physics at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, and another very good one is by Carl Wenning, from the Illinois State University.

In addition, you have probably seen that the rising or setting Moon looks very red. This is the same reason the sky is blue, and following that link will show you why!

Answer 3

Howdy! It is an optical illusion (though sometimes the moon really is closer).

Take a snow globe and stare at something looking directly down from the top - it's small. Now slowly raise the snow globe up till it's directly in front of your face - it's bigger! The moon is big when it's low in the sky and seems to get smaller as the night progresses. It's light refraction from the several atmospheres.

Answer 4

NO: The atmosphere DOES NOT magnify the Moon to make it bigger.

NO: It is not because of the moon's elliptical orbit (because even constellations appear to be larger/wider on the horizon, too).

NO: It is not because of a reference, either. The moon still appears small if it is high in the sky and you align a building into your line of sight with the moon.

Don't believe the above? Read this: "We know that this phenomenon is not a physical or atmospheric effect, as may be easily demonstrated by photographing the moon in the sky at various elevations and comparing its size on the negatives. The moon's angular size is nearly constant as it moves across the sky, the moon subtending about 0.5 degree in the sky. One may also verify this with sighting instruments."

YES: The moon looking bigger on the horizon is an OPTICAL ILLUSION. It is thought to be a variation on the PONZO illusion and on how we perceive the sky (meaning we perceive the sky as kind of a flattened bowl instead of a half-circle).

Answer 5

The moon usually appears larger when it is low on the horizon, and then slowly gets larger as it rises. Only our eyes see this illusion, but a camera taking a sequence of photos of the rising moon will not.

Nobody is actually sure why we experience this illusion. You can refer to the websites I listed in the sources for more information.

Answer 6

Here's a great reference for you to check,

"Why does the moon look so much bigger when it is near the horizon?" http://www.howstuffworks.com/question491.htm

It includes,
"One theory about the moon illusion says that when the moon is near the horizon we perceive it to be farther away from us than when it is high in the sky. But since the moon is actually the same size, our minds make it look bigger when it is near the horizon to compensate for the increased distance. "

Answer 7

The humidity in the air. Water acts as kind of a magnifying glass. That is why the moon looks so big, when it is closer to the horizon. That particular spot is where most of our moisture, in the atmosphere is.

Just like looking at it through a magnifying glass.

Answer 8

Because it is.

In the distant future, the moon will crash into the Earth. By this time, Humans will no longer exist, so there's nothing to worry about now.

Answer 9

the moon doesnt orbit the earth as a circle orbit, its more of an oliptical orbit, so at times it gets closer to the earth, mainly at the end of its 28 days

Answer 10

I don't know but i really wanted the 2 points
thanx