Why does the moon change size?!?!

Big Spender

Big Spender

Big Spender

Associate
Joined
31 Oct 2004
Posts
2,316
Tonight i was out driving with a couple of mates through the towns and country sides near by. Nice warm/cool evening, completely clear sky. There was a full moon out tonight.

First time i noticed the moon, it looked huge. i then look away, as im drivin obviously so need to keep my eyes on the road for the majority of the time, but then 5/10 minutes later i look back and its gone really small, i then look away again, 5/10 minute later, i look back, and its really big again.

is it just my eyes playin a trick on me? is it because i may have been looking at it from different angles/elevations?

any explanation?!
 
Because it's made of cheese, and expands when more sun light hits it, and then contracts when the sun starts to go away....

I'd have thought you're just looking at it at different angles, maybe the glass of the car windows distorted it a little, or maybe it's just magic. Dunno :confused:
 
Morba said:
because of its orbital path around us
Click to expand...

cant really see how it would be the orbital path, it was basically in the same position in the sky every time, maybe at a different height.

DaveyD said:
Because it's made of cheese, and expands when more sun light hits it, and then contracts when the sun starts to go away....

I'd have thought you're just looking at it at different angles, maybe the glass of the car windows distorted it a little, or maybe it's just magic. Dunno :confused:
Click to expand...

dont think its the windows because i looked at it several times from different areas (but from the same part of the window)
 
Curiosityx said:
Explanantion:

http://www.noao.edu/outreach/nop/nophigh/steve8.html

Its all to do with the axis the earth turns on.
Click to expand...

I cant be bothered to read the link, but we're talking about a 10-minute timescale here. I cant imagine orbit, rotation or anything else would have much of an effect.

Probably just your imagination tbh. Or a psycological effect - it looks bigger next to a tree that looks small on a far-off hillside. (Or something)
 
As far as I am aware, it is the combination of two pschological effects. One is to do with the distance above th horizon that it appears. The lower it is, the more reference points there are which causes it to appear larger.. Can't remember the second effect at the minute, but google it and you should find it. On a side note, some people experience this and others don't. To me, I always see the moon the same size.
 
I remember now! the second reason is because when an object is nearer the horizon, we subconsiously assume it is closer than an object in the sky. This messes with our judgement as well. some people experience one effect, some the other, some both and some neither.
 
calnen said:
I cant be bothered to read the link, but we're talking about a 10-minute timescale here. I cant imagine orbit, rotation or anything else would have much of an effect.
)
Click to expand...

I can see why you couldnt be bothered to spend a few seconds searching yourself then, not all answers are handed to you on a plate.
 
Curiosityx said:
I can see why you couldnt be bothered to spend a few seconds searching yourself then, not all answers are handed to you on a plate.
Click to expand...

Huh? It wasnt my thread, and I didnt ask any questions.
 
I heard it's because the moons orbit path around the earth is slightly elliptical so sometimes it really it closer than others.
 
I think it was either an optical illusion or you looked too fast (trying to keep your eyes on the road) and thought it looked smaller/bigger than the last time to looked at it.

The moon does not change size in a 10min period.
 
i've seen it once very VERY close before. About 10 years ago i remember walking to the shops with my mum and the moon was on the horizon and it literally spannned the length of 3 attached houses. it was massive and that has stuck in my mind ever since. I've never seen it anywhere near that big since, either.

Also look for the moon when its on the horizon - earths atmosphere does funny things when the moon is very low. it looks very dark brow and looks 'squished' like a tennis ball when you stand on it. strage stuff.

anyway as other have said, cant really happen in a short period like that. The moon would have to travel far too far back and forth to appear to change size like that:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom