14 Oct 11
Originally posted by wolfgang59You want to know why the moon looks bigger nearer to the horizon? (I hope I have that right)
No problem.
I'm still not satisfied with any explanation I've seen that attempts to explain it!
It's because the moonlight has more atmosphere to travel through when near the horizon, hence more distortion of the moonlight that makes it look bigger.
14 Oct 11
Originally posted by karoly aczelNope!
You want to know why the moon looks bigger nearer to the horizon? (I hope I have that right)
It's because the moonlight has more atmosphere to travel through when near the horizon, hence more distortion of the moonlight that makes it look bigger.
You can easily disprove that with a little patience and a ruler.
The apparent size difference is totally in our heads.
but why?
14 Oct 11
Originally posted by wolfgang59I just did a little experiment here with pen and paper, and even with my rough free hand, it seems the moonlight has to travel through at least as twice as much atmosphere when on the horizon as opposed to when it is directly above us (or the highest in the sky).
Nope!
You can easily disprove that with a little patience and a ruler.
The apparent size difference is totally in our heads.
but why?
I was the only person to get this question right in high school science.
Are you saying my teacher was wrong?
14 Oct 11
Originally posted by karoly aczelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_illusion
I'm not totally disagreeing with your "it's in the head" theory, actually I'd like to hear it
There is no proven answer!!
-m.
(However, I go with the Ebbinghaus theory...which I believe must work in conjunction with the 'apparent distance theory' in this scenario - a combination of both!)
14 Oct 11
Originally posted by mikelomIs that right?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_illusion
There is no proven answer!!
-m.
(However, I go with the Ebbinghaus theory...which I believe must work in conjunction with the 'apparent distance theory' in this scenario - a combination of both!)
I always thought it got slightly bigger or looked different when there was more crap in the atmosphere.
Light shone through lots of air does get distorted, so my theory sounds ok to me. Whats wrong with it?
I may have to rethink this whole thing, thanks Mike 🙂
14 Oct 11
Originally posted by karoly aczelI think that may just be some sort of American city distortion thing, such as downtown Detroit, Chicago or L.A. 😀
I always thought it got slightly bigger or looked different when there was more crap in the atmosphere.
Light shone through lots of air does get distorted, so my theory sounds ok to me. Whats wrong with it?
I may have to rethink this whole thing, thanks Mike 🙂
You're welcome, my friend.
-m.
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17 Oct 11
Originally posted by wolfgang59Hmm, I am not sure how much the issue can be debated, as it can be shown readily and
When the debate becomes interesting and civil certain people disappear ......
convincingly that the moons apparent difference in size has nothing to do with straightforward
optics it is thus an illusion caused by the brain.
And given the jury is still out on precisely what it is our brains are doing that causes the illusion
I am not sure what more there is to say.
17 Oct 11
Originally posted by karoly aczelDistortion doesn't necessarily result in magnification. If it was random distortion, then you would expect a larger but blurry moon. If it was clear magnification, then it would be trivial to test it with physical measurements (which as Wikipedia notes, has been done, and there is no magnification).
Light shone through lots of air does get distorted, so my theory sounds ok to me. Whats wrong with it?
The sun also looks bigger, which is also purely and optical illusion, but much harder to test with the naked eye.
17 Oct 11
Originally posted by karoly aczelMaybe it has something to do with the curvature of the earth and atmosphere... I don't know.
Is that right?
I always thought it got slightly bigger or looked different when there was more crap in the atmosphere.
Light shone through lots of air does get distorted, so my theory sounds ok to me. Whats wrong with it?
I may have to rethink this whole thing, thanks Mike 🙂
- Joined
- 31 May 06
- Moves
- 1795
17 Oct 11
Originally posted by tomtom232The effect of diffraction in the atmosphere means that actually the sun/moon appears higher
Maybe it has something to do with the curvature of the earth and atmosphere... I don't know.
in the sky than it actually is, in fact if there were no atmosphere the point at which the
lower edge of the sun/moon touches the horizon with atmosphere is the point at which the
sun/moon's top edge would finally disappear below it.
In other words the light from the sun/moon is bent round in the atmosphere to make the
sun/moon appear above the horizon when it is actually below it.
However it has no significant effect on the size of the sun/moon.
17 Oct 11
Originally posted by googlefudgeYes, but maybe it has a significant effect on our brains for us to see the sun/moon as bigger when near or below the horizon?
The effect of diffraction in the atmosphere means that actually the sun/moon appears higher
in the sky than it actually is, in fact if there were no atmosphere the point at which the
lower edge of the sun/moon touches the horizon with atmosphere is the point at which the
sun/moon's top edge would finally disappear below it.
In other words the lig ...[text shortened]... n it is actually below it.
However it has no significant effect on the size of the sun/moon.