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Moon tonight ...

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  • 10-10-2014 8:15pm
    #1
    gozunda
    Registered Users Posts: 18,996 ✭✭✭✭


    Maybe unusual atmospherics but the moon appears very large and orange (!) tonight. A one stage it even appeared with classic Halloween wispy clouds

    Anyone else got a good view!


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    #2
    FlipperThePriest
    Subscribers Posts: 689 ✭✭✭FlipperThePriest


    It will generally appear larger and darker in colour as it rises.. closer to the horizon it has to pass through more atmosphere before the light gets to you.

    You'll notice later on in the night as it rises further it will resume the usual white glow.

    Moon Illusion

    Ahh.. apparently it doesn't actually appear larger, it's the same size in the sky. Didn't realise that until now.


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    #3
    Carne
    Registered Users Posts: 245 ✭✭Carne


    I'm not 100% certain but it might have something to do with the recent lunar eclipse.


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    #4
    FlipperThePriest
    Subscribers Posts: 689 ✭✭✭FlipperThePriest


    Carne wrote: »
    I'm not 100% certain but it might have something to do with the recent lunar eclipse.

    Don't think so, the lunar eclipse event from start to finish lasts about 5 hours in total.

    Every night the moon rises it appears in this orange colour. It's caused by scattering of light by the atmosphere. It's the same reason the sun turns the sky around it reddish when it sets.. reaching the horizon. Light from the sun as it approaches the horizon has to travel through much more atmosphere to get to us, hence more scattering of light.

    Check out this pic for an explanation.. it'll make more sense than my explanation!!


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    #5
    Taylor365
    Registered Users Posts: 2,994 ✭✭✭Taylor365


    zippy84 wrote: »
    It will generally appear larger and darker in colour as it rises.. closer to the horizon it has to pass through more atmosphere before the light gets to you.

    You'll notice later on in the night as it rises further it will resume the usual white glow.

    Moon Illusion

    Ahh.. apparently it doesn't actually appear larger, it's the same size in the sky. Didn't realise that until now.
    :pac:

    It's the same size, but it DOES appear larger.


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    #6
    FlipperThePriest
    Subscribers Posts: 689 ✭✭✭FlipperThePriest


    It's an illusion. It remains the same size in the retina whether at horizon or high in sky. I.e. if you took photos and compared they'd be exactly the same.

    But environmental cues such as distance and perspective cause the mind to perceive it as being bigger.

    2ebzk2d.gif

    Does the ball in the top centre 'appear' bigger?


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    #7
    Taylor365
    Registered Users Posts: 2,994 ✭✭✭Taylor365


    zippy84 wrote: »
    It's an illusion. It remains the same size in the retina whether at horizon or high in sky. I.e. if you took photos and compared they'd be exactly the same.

    But environmental cues such as distance and perspective cause the mind to perceive it as being bigger.

    2ebzk2d.gif

    Does the ball in the top centre 'appear' bigger?
    Yea, it appears bigger hence why i said it :)

    Appear:
    seem; give the impression of being.

    Perceive:
    interpret or regard


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    #8
    FlipperThePriest
    Subscribers Posts: 689 ✭✭✭FlipperThePriest


    Taylor365 wrote: »
    Yea, it appears bigger hence why i said it :)

    Appear:
    seem; give the impression of being.

    Perceive:
    interpret or regard

    The ball is not bigger on your screen though, only in the mind.

    Yeah I get what you're saying.. but basically I was trying to make the distinction between something that is distorted 'in actuality' by optical phenomena (such as the size change of a hand in water because of refraction or the colour of the moon because of scattering of light) and something that is distorted by psychological phenomena.. which is what is happening here. Probably should have made that distinction more clear.


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