What makes the moon so big?

Question

Also, why does it change color? When traveling over spring break, I saw the moon, and it was much larger and much redder than usual. Crazy stuff.

Answer 1

nothing makes the moon big, the moon is the size of the moon. it's not getting any bigger or smaller. sometimes, the moon looks bigger than usuall but this is only an appearent observation. when the moon is close to the horizon, it looks bigger because you can easily compare it to trees and stuff on the horizon. but when it's overhead, it's just all by itself in the sky and your brain makes this look small or normal size.
just like when the sun sets the sky gets all red and orange. the same thing with the moon. when it's close to the horizon, the light from the moon is reacting with our atmosphere and it can appear orange.

Answer 2

The distance to the Moon varies between 363258km and 405542km. There is some change in Moon apparent size due to this, but between the extremes, the difference is about 10%.

The most important factor is an optical illusion: objects close to the horizon appear to be larger than objents overhead. You may see the Moon appear large when it rises, but appears to be smaller when it gets overhead. The change in distance is not a factor; in fact, the Moon is closer to you when it is overhead. To prove that it is an optical illusion, measure its diameter, e.g. with a ruler at arm length.

The reddish color is due to water vapors in air, the same phenomenon which makes sunsets appear red. Shorter wavelengths (blue) are more readily scattered (which it is whythe sky is blue), while the red passes easier. The phenomenon is accentuated by the presence of water vapors in atmosphere.

Answer 3

The moon changes color because of the way the sun hits it, it revolves aroung the sun as so does the Earth. The moon gets big when the Earth and moon revolve aroung each other close. The moon is redder as my dad would tell me, that the next day would be a hot day or a warmer day.

Answer 4

The moon has several different cycles ,The changing colour you saw may have been the recent eclipse,it ranges in colour from ,white/ yellow/gold /orange /russet / red / silver/ white.The size of the moon is always the same when in the full moon phase,the size appears to be different because of its position in the sky .The earth revolves around the sun on its axis, so the moon appears to change position, in the planetary spectrum.

Answer 5

The moon changes size and color depending on how close it is to the horizon. If it is close to the horizon, it looks bigger because it is close to things that you are used to estimating the size of. When it is far from the horizon, all you have to compare it to is the stars and the gigantic sky, and it looks small. When the moon is near the horizon, it also looks reddish, because the light has to go through a thicker slice of the atmosphere, and the shorter wavelengths of light (blue, etc.) are scattered, while the longer wavelengths (reddish tones) make it through.

Answer 6

When the moon is close to the horison our brains correct for the perspective. It is totally our brains doing it. If you measure the size, like by covering it with a dime it is the same size. The effect is so strong it can be repeated experimentally

Answer 7

The size is related to it's close proximity to the Earth. It is by far the closet object in the sky. It changes colors due to Suns rays reflecting off the earths atmosphere.