3 ms·
>Conversely, if the more distant object did subtend the same angle as the nearer object then it is normally perceived to be twice as big. herein lies I think t
by FooHentai 4y ago
>Conversely, if the more distant object did subtend the same angle as the nearer object then it is normally perceived to be twice as big.
herein lies I think the real cause of this illusion - It's the way our brain perceives size in things that are considered to be at a disconnected distance from each other, and things that are seen to be 'connected' being perceived as being the same distance. As soon as the moon comes close enough to the horizon to be perceived as 'connected' in our minds, the perception of it's size is shifted dramatically.
This same effect occurs with tall islands - If you're standing on the shore and look towards the island, it appears one size. If you move inshore and lose sight of the water, viewing the island over rooftops and such, it appears much more massive.
- hnuser847 4y agoI live two blocks away from Lake Michigan and I’ve noticed the same effect with sailboats on the horizon. When I’m walking towards the beach and can only see a small sliver of water, sailboats on the water look absolutely massive, but as I get closer and see them in full context, they seem to shrink.
- FooHentai 4y agoYep, I witnessed the effect when living out near Kapiti island, which is pretty big, quite tall, and very close to the mainland. The effect some evenings was drastic, especially when you had the moon and island on the horizon. It reminded me of the cover for the film Synchedoche, New York. That sense of the scales all being very wrong.