The moon seems really big these days
 

For the last year I've been taking pics of the moon, it seems a lot bigger than it used to.

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Especially when you zoom in on it!

Did you buy a zoom lens for your Nikon?

Scott, the Nikon is still packed away, these are just iPhone pics. The first pic there is no zoom, just a point and shoot. Don't you think the moon looks big? Other pics though zoomed to the apartment building, I don't remember the moon ever looking even close to that big. Maybe it's only big in the northeast?

We go through "big moon" periods in the Southeast, as well...don't think it's anything "weird." Likely just where you are in the orbit's rhythm. We have some nights when the moon is HUGE (and orange). My wife loves that.

That's what I was afraid of Shaun. Oh well.........:rolleyes:

That's not fair! I moved into my new shop a year ago and 2 weeks. It still looks like I moved in a month ago.

I learned a long, long time ago that life is and never has been guaranteed to be 'fair'.

I love them too. Morning moon.

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According to Google...

The moon looks bigger sometimes due to the moon illusion, which is a psychological effect where the moon appears larger when near the horizon compared to when it's high in the sky. This illusion happens because our brain compares the moon to familiar objects like trees or buildings on the horizon, making it seem enormous by contrast. When the moon is higher up, there are no reference points, so it appears smaller.

Refraction has nothing to do with it?

In which sense?

Refraction actually makes the Moon look SMALLER when it's on the horizon. It crushes the shape vertically, and doesn't affect it horizontally, so the Moon looks smaller and squarish.

optical illusion

The "harvest moon" is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox, and it appears extra bright and full for several nights because it rises around sunset each evening. Historically, this extra moonlight was crucial for farmers to complete their harvests before winter, giving it a practical and cultural significance.

That the moon looks bigger near the horizon is a well known phenomenon.

An explanation:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-the-moon-look-bigger-near-the-horizon/

2 things
1) there is a variance in distance, due to the elliptical orbit, each month of ~25,000 mi, Nov 2025 is a min.
2) when it's near the horizon there is an optical illusion that makes it appear larger.

It is the second thing, Bill

It’s the effect of the comet and it’s headed our way. We are domed I tell ya!

It didn’t look too big to me on the way home tonight. What I like is, when it looks really big and orange.

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As we get older, we shrink. Maybe you are just smaller than you used to be and the million year old moon is just doing its thing??

Yeah because it’s a super moon tomorrow….

I don't doubt you but the sun seems to do the same squish thing at sunset and yet look pretty big even if it's only on the horizontal axis.

Congratuations. You've noticed the Full Beaver Supermoon- a full moon when it's at it's closest distance to the earth. It peaks tonight and tomorrow morning.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/novembers-full-beaver-supermoon-peaks-on-wednesday-and-will-be-the-biggest-supermoon-of-the-year-180987616/

Easy to demonstrate this for yourself. When the moon is just above the horizon, hold a wood pencil (or something similar) at arm's length and place the eraser over the moon. Note the moon's size relative to the pencil. Now do it again when the moon is higher in the sky and you'll see that the relative sizes are exactly the same.

"Full Beaver Supermoon" ... sounds like a porn movie :D

It's bigly here too ... if I ever see a pencil with an eraser again ... I'll measure it for sure :)

The moon was huge this morning but no pic love first clouds and then traffic after they cleared. One bad shot.

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Ah yes... starring Ginger Lynne. VHS was so much better than 8mm. :D

Beautiful harvest moon last night

Perception is an interesting thing. When we spend a lot of time observing the moon it does seem larger as we get to know more and more surface details. Also a moon rising among trees and buildings gives the impression that it is larger than when fully overhead.

The moon does reach perigee on Nov 5 which is the closest point in it's orbit to earth for the year so it is objectively larger right now from our viewpoint.

Moon was absolutely stunning at 5:30 this morning. iPhone was worthless in capturing its majesty. Moon was just too bright.

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