Why does the Moon look so huge on the horizon?

Bad Astronomy
By Phil Plait
May 13, 2010 1:00 PMApr 12, 2023 2:55 PM

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I love illusions, and I love astronomy. So what could be better than combining the two?

If you’ve ever seen the Moon rising over the horizon, looking so fat and looming that you felt like you could fall right into it, then you’ve been a victim of the famous Moon Illusion. And it isan illusion, a pervasive and persuasive one.

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