2007-01-13 21:04:58 · 5 answers · asked by purply-music-lover 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
In simple terms, the curvature of the earth's atmosphere at the horizon acts like a magnifying glass, making the sun (and the moon) look larger than it does when it is overhead.
2007-01-14 05:18:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just perspective. Here's a couple of illustrations. Picture two people that are the same size. One is standing on the street right in front of you. The other is standing half a mile down the street. Their size hasn't changed, but the perspective has and the one up close looks large as life while the other far away looks small like a scale model of the one up close.
Take a piece of paper and cut a hole in it that is the same size as the moon looks through the hole or match the size of the hole to the image of the moon. Later that night, look at the smaller moon through the hole you cut earlier and the smaller moon will still fit the hole.
Use the moon as an example so you don't burn your eyes.
2007-01-14 05:13:07 · answer #2 · answered by Hank Hill 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It appears to swell due to the light being refracted differently at lower angles (on the horizon) compared to when it is over head. Same for the moon.
2007-01-14 05:15:50 · answer #3 · answered by btmduk 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think its an optical illuion caused by the atmosphere
2007-01-17 13:10:45 · answer #4 · answered by Laura Marie B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is the same size, it just appears to look bigger.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/top5_myths_020903-2.html
2007-01-14 05:16:04 · answer #5 · answered by 0o0o0o 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋