Sky Watchers! Last Super moon!

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
Last super moon of the year Thursday August 11th. Will appear its largest at moon rise and set.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
That "appears" larger at moonrise and set is just that. A brain trick. At a uniform focal length in photographs the moon is the same diameter no matter how close to the horizon.
 

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
A super moon is just a full moon that is at it closest orbit to earth and a such will be lager than other full moons. But as you stated it will not be any different at moonrise or moonset.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Yes the moon is looking a bit larger now due to being closer. But I was addressing a myth people believe that the atmosphere refracts the sun and moon at rise and set to make them appear larger.

The refraction does not happen like that. Your brain does the zooming of what your eyes see. It is a documented phenomenon that is not understood yet.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
When I was in Texas, I was riding in a car with a friend when I saw what I thought was a temple in the distance. It wasn't even dark yet, and all I could see was this huge, bright dome. I asked, "What is that?" My friend said, "I think it is the moon." My jaw dropped. It was so huge, I didn't recognize it as the moon, and I haven't seen it look like that since. I don't know what was particular about that evening, but it was amazing. Of course, as it climbed, it got smaller looking.

Here is a link just in case somebody wants to know more information about it.

NASA explains Supermoon
 

blackstar

Senior Member
Why didn't you take a shot? Did it look like this:

2022-08-11_23-08-00-gimp-x-s.jpg
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
@blackstar It is difficult to explain what it looked like from my perspective. It was at least 15 years ago, so I don't think I could even come up with a comparison based on my memory. It was only partially above horizon and big enough to confuse me. Maybe if I go to a good spot with an unobstructed view, it would look the same as I remembered. I rarely have an unobstructed view of the moon rising.

I didn't have a camera, but doesn't the moon just look normal if you take an image because it is a brain thing that makes it look huge. :confused: Seems like I read that somewhere.
 

BF Hammer

Senior Member
@blackstar It is difficult to explain what it looked like from my perspective. It was at least 15 years ago, so I don't think I could even come up with a comparison based on my memory. It was only partially above horizon and big enough to confuse me. Maybe if I go to a good spot with an unobstructed view, it would look the same as I remembered. I rarely have an unobstructed view of the moon rising.

I didn't have a camera, but doesn't the moon just look normal if you take an image because it is a brain thing that makes it look huge. :confused: Seems like I read that somewhere.
Every full moon in December it rises in the dark at my latitude. Typically I am looking at it rise as I drive home from work. It always looks abnormally large at and right above horizon. I used to try to stop and take photos. It was always a fail. Then I learned later about "the moon effect" as it is called. It is not an optical illusion like a mirage because you can take photos of those. It is a brain trick illusion, and pretty common among humans. There are many other documented tricks the brain does where it doesn't interpret the information eyes give it the right way.

Study color theory and there are famous examples. Remember the blue and yellow dress that went viral?
 
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