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The Moon

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  • 09-08-2006 4:38pm
    #1
    _blank_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭


    Well, I have a question about the moon. Even if someone could point me in the right direction by way of links to the answer that would be great.

    Why does it sometimes appear to be huge in the sky, and other time smaller? Sometimes it is Yellow, and sometimes White?

    I notice that when it appears bigger, it is nearly always that yellow colour too.

    Thanks in advance :)


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    #2
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Its all relative! When the moon is low you can directly compare it to say a house roof or hill, while the atmosphere causes distortion esp in summer when the heats on so it looks a bit wider than it really is! The yellow is again the atomsphere being warm. The Harvest moon when this phenomena is at its peak arrives next month.

    Mike.


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    #3
    Snowbie
    Registered Users Posts: 5,033 ✭✭✭Snowbie


    Just seen the moon rise meself over Howth in Dublin early this evening and was a sight.
    Yeah Mike your answer Spot on.


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    #4
    Flukey
    Registered Users Posts: 11,001 ✭✭✭✭Flukey


    Well it is a full moon tonight so it will be big, but it is when it is low and comparable against other things that it looks largest. It is just a sort of optical illusion. Enjoy it tonight in any case, and keep an eye out for some meteors.


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    #5
    Redshift
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,486 ✭✭✭Redshift


    Try this next time it looks huge hold your thumb out and make a note of the relative size of the moon against your thumb, then when it's high and looks smaller do it again and the size will be exactly the same belive it or not.
    As previously said it's an optical illusion.


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    #6
    Karoma
    Registered Users Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    http://domino.watson.ibm.com/comm/pr.nsf/pages/news.20000103_moon_illusion.html




    While I'm linking stuff about the moon:
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/08/09/moon_bulge/


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    #7
    Black NG-60-90
    Closed Accounts Posts: 241 ✭✭Black NG-60-90


    The moon is so amazing when you're stoned. I looks so cool.


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    #8
    tabatha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,078 ✭✭✭tabatha


    Black NG-60-90 wrote:
    The moon is so amazing when you're stoned. I looks so cool.

    fool:rolleyes:


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    #9
    Capt'n Midnight
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 91,400 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    the moon isn't in a perfectly circular orbit, nor is it's face locked rigidly towards us. when it's directly overhead it you are part of the thickness of the earth closer to it than when it's low on the horizon

    libration or something


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