When the close part of the orbit coincides with a full moon, it’s called a supermoon. But when the Moon is closest to Earth, it is only about 12% to 15% closer than when it is farthest from Earth – too small a difference to explain the Moon illusion. It is hard to notice a 15% difference in size by just looking at the Moon alone in the sky.
Testing the illusion
It’s easy to test the Moon illusion, and you can do it yourself. Next time you see the Moon looking huge and closer than usual, hold out your hand with a straight arm. Then close one eye and see which finger tip just barely covers the Moon – for me, it’s my pinkie finger. Wait a little while until the Moon moves higher into the sky and try the experiment again. The Moon may look smaller, but your same finger will cover it just the same.
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Silas Laycock, Professor of Astronomy, UMass Lowell
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Astro for kids: Why does the Moon look close some nights and far away others?
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