Why does the moon change size?

Question

Hi there
The other night, i came out of morrisons, and the moon was absolutely huge. It is the largest i have ever seen, it was probably 10 - 15 times larger than normal, i could almost reach out and touch it.

Now, the moon didnt suddenly come close to the earth over night, so why was it so big. The next nihgt it was back to normal size.

Is it some sort of optical illusion caused by bending of light, or magnifying of light in the atmosphere?

cheers

jamie

Answer 1

You are correct - the moon does not suddenly come 10 times closer! This is an optical illusion - when the moon is close to the horizon, the surrounding objects (trees, buildings) make the moon seem larger than it is when the moon is high in the open sky. Clouds can have a similar effect.

There's further explanations, and examples of similar optical illusions, on the link below.

Answer 2

It is an optical illusion, obviously it does not grow bigger or smaller from night to night. It actually has to to with the position of the earth and the temperature of the earth and ozone. Sometimes we have what we call a "harvest moon" when the earth has a mixed temperature and the moon looks huge and a deep bright orange. I've also seen it turn blue. To your question, the moon does not change size in anyway. Because we are so far away we are susceptible to many illusions in between, or the positions of moon and earth.Good luck.

Answer 3

It's an optical illusion. When the moon is near the horizon, you compare its size with distant objects at the horizon, and the moon looks huge in comparison. When the moon is high in the sky, you don't have it posed next to other objects, so it looks smaller.

If you take multiple exposure/time lapse photos tracking the moon's path over the course of an entire night, the pictures will clearly show that the moon's size is actually the same all along, regardless of where the moon is in the sky.

Answer 4

The moon's distance from a single point in the Earth changes, because as the seasons come and go, there is a variation in the tilt in the axis of the earth.
Yep, it can also be as you said, because the atmosphere can act as a huge lens that can make the stuff in outer space bigger, smaller and/or twinklier than it really is.
But I haven't seen a moon that big. Lucky you.(^_^)

Answer 5

As the moon rises and it is low on the horizon it is magnified through the earths atmosphere. At that angle it is seen through the length of the atmosphere you can see.

As it rises the thickness of the atmosphere you see it through gradually decreases until you are only seeing it through the depth of the atmosphere.

Therefore when it first rises it is big and it gradually reduces in size as it rises.

Answer 6

most of the time the moon is shaded and you can't see it fully.
maybe this time it just got closer to the earth. it has a natural cycle.

Answer 7

it is all to do with the orbit of the moon and as it moves arond us and us around it