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Acmlm's Board - I2 Archive - General Chat - Moon Rise Experiment! | | | |
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Kasumi-Astra Administrator Level: 62 Posts: 1610/1867 EXP: 1971846 For next: 12840 Since: 03-15-04 From: Reading, UK Uni: Sheffield, UK Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 12 hours |
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The moon is particularly easy to see when it's just appearing over the horizon this week. How many of you have noticed that it appears larger when it's on the horizon than when it's in the sky? Well, apparently this is an optical illusion, and the route of this illusion lies completely within our brains. Apparently, it is a well documented fact that if you look at the moon upside-down while it is on the horizon, it disrupts this process in the brain, and it reverts back to it's normal size! If anyone can get the chance to test this out, post your results here! |
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neotransotaku Baby Mario 戻れたら、 誰も気が付く Level: 87 Posts: 3382/4016 EXP: 6220548 For next: 172226 Since: 03-15-04 From: Outside of Time/Space Since last post: 11 hours Last activity: 1 hour |
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how far above the horizon? i live in the city so, i wonder if it is still in view? | |||
Kasumi-Astra Administrator Level: 62 Posts: 1613/1867 EXP: 1971846 For next: 12840 Since: 03-15-04 From: Reading, UK Uni: Sheffield, UK Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 12 hours |
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It's only got to be just enough above the horizon, so that it looks bigger than usual. When it rises into the air, it appears to get smaller. If you can get anywhere where you can see it rise, you should be able to witness the effect. | |||
Dei* Nipper Plant Level: 26 Posts: 142/412 EXP: 97995 For next: 4280 Since: 06-18-05 From: USA, Florida Since last post: 2 days Last activity: 1 day |
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I've had this thought too, because where the moon rises, there's an open field adjectant to my property so it looks really neat when it rises, and bigger too than its up in the sky. At least to me... | |||
Ben rhymes with ??? Paragoomba Level: 12 Posts: 29/69 EXP: 6845 For next: 1076 Since: 06-12-05 Since last post: 101 days Last activity: 3 days |
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Moon Illusion, for those who live in areas where there is no moon. It's an interesting illusion, I'll definitley be looking out for it this week. |
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Slay Level: 25 Posts: 182/339 EXP: 85592 For next: 4028 Since: 04-28-05 From: Threshold Between Heaven and Hell Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 1 day |
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Here is the Wikipedia article and here is another, much more thoroughly explained, I think, rundown of the "moon illusion." With contrasting theories on what causes this, even. I personally have my own opinion of what causes the moon illusion. If you stand out in pouring rain and look straight up, you don't see much rain. If you look horizontally, however, the volume of rain will seem much more staggering. This is because when you look upward, you're seeing only a single "layer," if you will, of rain droplets at a time. When you look straight ahead, however, you're seeing many entire layers at once. Someone looking straight up during rainfall might say it's a drizzle, while someone looking parallel to the ground might say it's more significant. This comparason is, of course, ignoring the fact that rain will fall in your eyes, making you unable to see clearly, if you look up into it, and the fact that we generally judge rain intensity by how soaked the environment gets, not how many droplets we see in midair. But please, indulge me. I believe the same happens with the moon. When you see it on the horizon, you're looking through much more atmosphere than if you look straight up at it. Which also explains that the size doesn't simply change from "large" to "small" at horizon and sky, it seems largest on the horizon, and gradually shrinks until it's the smallest at "noon" position. In fact, I think I may write up this theory on Wikipedia sometime soon. (edited by Slay on 07-01-05 03:50 AM) |
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knuck Hinox Banned until 19-58-5815: trolling, flaming, spamming, being a general fucktard... Level: 62 Posts: 1365/1818 EXP: 1894574 For next: 90112 Since: 03-15-04 Since last post: 14 hours Last activity: 9 hours |
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Yeah I noticed that a few days ago. Didn't know it was an optical illusion though. | |||
Bella Ludwig Von Koopa You're Gonna Love Me Level: 76 Posts: 1488/2962 EXP: 3891483 For next: 114577 Since: 03-29-04 From: Groovy Way Since last post: 8 min. Last activity: 6 min. |
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Wow..haven't noticed it ..maybe it's because I haven't been out very much lately but I'll be sure to check it out. I wouldn't noticed these things if I wasn't told....or maybe I would.. | |||
HyperLamer <||bass> and this was the soloution i thought of that was guarinteed to piss off the greatest amount of people Sesshomaru Tamaranian Level: 118 Posts: 5427/8210 EXP: 18171887 For next: 211027 Since: 03-15-04 From: Canada, w00t! LOL FAD Since last post: 2 hours Last activity: 2 hours |
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Come to think of it, I saw a similar illusion once. I have this poster on my wall, which has a thick border around its edge. On each side a person's hand sticks out in front of the border. Looking at it normally it's nothing special, but I looked at it upside-down and the hands sticking out made it look really 3D. | |||
NSNick Laidback Admin Level: 85 Posts: 2756/3875 EXP: 5895841 For next: 2699 Since: 03-15-04 From: North Side School: OSU Since last post: 9 hours Last activity: 1 hour |
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Originally posted by SlayIn the very first paragraph of the Wikipedia article, it discounts that theory. |
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Slay Level: 25 Posts: 194/339 EXP: 85592 For next: 4028 Since: 04-28-05 From: Threshold Between Heaven and Hell Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 1 day |
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Quite. But Wikipedia is not infallable, nor is any proof cited in the article, just speculation and theory. I merely referred to that article because like most articles on that website, it nicely introduces the subject. I enjoy Wikipedia thoroughly because of the vast quantities of information it disemminates, but I don't agree with everything stated. | |||
NSNick Laidback Admin Level: 85 Posts: 2760/3875 EXP: 5895841 For next: 2699 Since: 03-15-04 From: North Side School: OSU Since last post: 9 hours Last activity: 1 hour |
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True, but in the other article, it said that the illusion is not limited to celestial bodies, so I think that rules out the atmosphere interference. | |||
Xeolord - B l u e s - Power Metal > All Level: 81 Posts: 2484/3418 EXP: 4884196 For next: 108653 Since: 03-15-04 From: Yeah Since last post: 15 hours Last activity: 15 hours |
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Wikipedia is user-created. So yeah, not everything there is going to be true and facts. |
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PumpkinPie Boo! I'll scare your dad! Big Boo Pretend Moderator All hail the Pumpkin King! Level: 47 Posts: 416/1158 EXP: 718208 For next: 47995 Since: 12-05-04 From: Halloween Town Treats: Many Tricks: Oh yes Since last post: 2 days Last activity: 8 hours |
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Cool, I never knew that this effect was only an illusion. I want to try this soon. | |||
windwaker Ball and Chain Trooper WHY ALL THE MAYONNAISE HATE Level: 61 Posts: 1694/1797 EXP: 1860597 For next: 15999 Since: 03-15-04 Since last post: 4 days Last activity: 6 days |
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Originally posted by Xeomega There're some factors you're missing. Like their team of fact-checkers. ;/ |
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Slay Level: 25 Posts: 198/339 EXP: 85592 For next: 4028 Since: 04-28-05 From: Threshold Between Heaven and Hell Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 1 day |
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The NSNick says... The sun actually goes through the same illusion. On the horizon, it seems much larger than it does in the sky. Stars and other planets are simply far too small to begin with for us to notice a difference. And interference isn't the word I would use to describe it. It's more of a fish-eye lens effect, the "lens" being the sky directly above you, with it's outter rim designated by the horizon on all sides. The windwaker says... Who go over every single article and check every single fact? Exactly. Besides, there is no fact in this matter; it's all estimation and theory. |
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NSNick Laidback Admin Level: 85 Posts: 2777/3875 EXP: 5895841 For next: 2699 Since: 03-15-04 From: North Side School: OSU Since last post: 9 hours Last activity: 1 hour |
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Originally posted by SlayThe NSNick says... |
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Slay Level: 25 Posts: 201/339 EXP: 85592 For next: 4028 Since: 04-28-05 From: Threshold Between Heaven and Hell Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 1 day |
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I think you misunderstand. I was unaware of any theory like my own when I wrote my post. You're attesting to their words, not my own. I believe that this effect is indeed limited to things outside of Earth, things outside the "lens." Especially considering that it's the upper atmosphere that would be most responsible for the lens effect, and hot air balloons, even high-altitude stealth jets don't reach the upper atmosphere, and even then they would be subject to the same as the stars; simply too small to notice. But I don't have any formal training in meteorology, so it's pure speculation. It makes sense to me, anyway; curved atmosphere, skewed view. |
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Place Level: 12 Posts: 7/75 EXP: 7186 For next: 735 Since: 07-03-05 From: New Song Street Since last post: 58 days Last activity: 58 days |
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What if there are items like trees and buildings obscuring your view of any sort of horizon? | |||
Slay Level: 25 Posts: 211/339 EXP: 85592 For next: 4028 Since: 04-28-05 From: Threshold Between Heaven and Hell Since last post: 1 day Last activity: 1 day |
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I'm not sure. I haven't tried the moon experiment since posting in this topic. In my youth, I lived in a densely wooded area, so I only ever saw the moon by the time it was already high in the sky. I don't imagine the illusion would be thrown off if just a few trees were in the way. Even if you could only see a sliver of it, it should still be an enlarged sliver. Edit Follows I doubt anyone will see this, unless there is some sort of alert for updated older posts, but I've found new evidence for my presumption. I'm sure we're all familiar with the conspiracy theory that the moon landing was faked. One of the most major pieces of evidence for the theorists is a series of famous photographs the astronauts took on the surface of Luna. There are five major arguments to suggest the photograph was fake; one of them is that there is a discrepency between the distance of objects in the foreground and background. Opponents to the conspiracy theory have refuted this, noting... "...as there is no atmosphere on the Moon, very distant objects will appear clearer and closer to the human eye. What appears as nearby hills in some photographs, are actually mountains several kilometers high and some 10-20 kilometers away." This suggests that atmosphere distorts perception of distant objects, which was my "common sense" line of thinking for the moon illusion. We think of the atmosphere being invisible, affecting absolutely nothing but our ability to breathe, and the existence of wind and weather phenomenon, but I do believe it affects much more than that. (edited by Slay on 08-09-05 02:03 PM) |
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