Why does the Moon look close some nights and far away on other nights?
One summer evening when I was a child, I remember being mystified and then startled at a huge round shape slowly creeping up
Astronomers have discussed the Moon illusion for centuries, and there are some facts they all agree on
This is because your mind judges how big or small an object like the Moon is by comparing it with other, familiar things
Imagine you are standing outside close to your house. Your house will look big, and if the Moon rises next to it, the Moon will look normal
The illusion comes from the fact that the Moon is so far away that no matter where you are on Earth, the Moon always looks the same size
It is actually the things your mind compares the Moon with – a house, a mountain or anything else
Photographers use this trick to take spectacular images of distant objects with the Moon behind them
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