Why the Moon Sometimes Looks Huge (50)

Introduction

Sometimes 9 have been very surprised looking at the Moon. Sometimes it seems much larger than normal and more yellow or brown in colour. 9 always wondered why this is until 9 did some reading.

An Optical Illusion

So it turns out that this is an optical illusion. The key observation here is that the moon always, looks larger than normal when it is seen close to the horizon, and this typically occurs at twilight or a little after.

Moon Always the Same Size

The Moon is actually the same size but because it is close to the horizon, it appears alongside trees, houses, buildings, signs etc. When our eyes make a comparison between the moon and the trees, the Moon appears to be much larger than normal.

Yellowy Brown Colour

The reason why the Moon near the horizon is yellow or brown in colour, especially if it is a full moon, is because the light it is reflecting from the Sun is the typical very yellow, reddish brown light seen during sunset.

Moon Rises High Apparent it Shrinks

When the Moon rises higher into the sky it appears smaller and this is because there is nothing in the sky that we can visually compare It too. The Moon doesn't come closer or grow then shrink, it stays the same size always, it is just the way we see it, it seems bigger due to comparison or better said it is seen larger in relation to the other objects on the horizon.

Conclusion

There you have it an optical illusion. Makes sense, the Moon can’t just swell and then shrink back down again like a blowfish.

End (50).