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Credit: Shay Stephens
Explanation:
Is the Moon larger when near the horizon?
No -- as shown above, the
Moon
appears to be very nearly the same size no matter
its location on the sky.
Oddly, the cause or causes for the common
Moon Illusion are still being debated.
Two leading explanations both hinge on the
illusion that foreground objects make a
horizon Moon
appear further in the distance.
The historically most popular explanation then holds that the
mind interprets more distant objects as wider, while a
more recent explanation adds that the distance illusion
may actually make the eye focus differently.
Either way, the
angular diameter of the Moon is always about 0.5
degrees.
In the above time-lapse sequence taken near the end of last year,
the Moon was briefly re-imaged every 2.5 minutes,
with the last exposure of longer duration to bring up a
magnificent panorama of the city of
Seattle.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Moon - angular size
Publications with words: Moon - angular size
See also: