Why does the moon look larger on the horizon but never get any closer?

Answer 1

there are MANY theories about why this happens.

one theory says that while the moon is high in the sky, it has nothing to be compared to, so our brain compares it to the whole sky, which is pretty dang big. while the moon is on the horizon, we compare it to trees, houses and such, which are comparatively very small.

another theory is that the light from the moon has to travel through less atmosphere when it is directly overhead, and so the light gets refracted less. while it's on the horizon, it passes through a lot more gas. i know for sure that that's why it has that orange color when it's on the hor8izon, but I don't know how accurate the theory is.

a third theory is that since the moon's orbit is slightly elliptical, it actually is closer, but of course this theory is ridiculous, seeing as the effect is visible anywhere, and if the moon really varied in orbit that much, the tides would be very different.

the other theories are even more ridiculous than number 3, so I won't torture you with those, but if anyone tells you that it "for sure" is one of those theories, then they are not necessarily right, because no one honestly knows. scientists still debate about it, but that first one is the most popular.

Answer 2

It is an optical illusion. I heard that looking at it upside down makes the illusion go away, and sure enough, if you look at it upside down it looks as small as normal. Simply bend over and look behind yourself. I am serious; this isn't a trick to make you appear silly. You can even do this without a Moon in the sky. Just find a place where you have a long view of mountains or trees or building several miles away on the horizon. They will all look smaller when seen upside down. There is something about the way human vision works that makes objects on the horizon look bigger than usual.

Answer 3

It is an optical illusion...

You see the moon in relation to the other things on the horizon... trees, buildings and other things you know the size of. So when you see the moon over the house roof, you "know" it has to be big.

When it is up in the sky, you don't have the same items to compare it to so it looks small.

Here is an experiment to see the moon the same size...

Stand with your back to the moon when it is near the horizon (big) and bend over and look at it through your legs. It will appear the same size as it does in the sky which will make it look small to you.





g-day!

Answer 4

NO IT IS NOT TRUE. The moon deos not appear bigger near the horizon. If you can use a ruler to take a crude measurement on it in open air, you will realise the moon near the horizon is the same size as the moon up there.

Answer 5

This is just an optical illusion caused by the atmosphere. If you can, imagine the atmosphere as a huge lens that encompasses the earth. When looking directly overhead, you are looking through a thinner portion of that atmospheric lens, so things like the sun and moon appear smaller. As their positions approach the horizon, you are actually looking through more atmosphere (Think of it as a thicker lens) which makes the heavenly bodies appear larger.

Answer 6

Read this:

http://facstaff.uww.edu/mccreadd/

It's none of the popular theories above. You can see for yourself that it isn't refraction because the angular size of the moon is the same when measured low or high in the sky.

That's why it's called an illusion. Even to say it appears bigger isn't strictly correct. It's more accurate to say we perceive it as bigger.

Answer 7

Check this out. It's called moon illusion. I live at the beach and a few times a month when it rises....it's huge! And orange!

Answer 8

It is not always the same distance! Next to optical illusion, the course of any planet (the moon not excluded) is not in a perfect circle but elliptical.

Answer 9

It possibly could be an optical illusion.

Answer 10

Atmospheric refraction.