Moon illusion

This article is about the apparent variation in the moon's size. For the discrepancy between the sun's position and the lunar terminator, see Lunar terminator.

A harvest moon

The Moon illusion is an optical illusion which causes the Moon to appear larger near the horizon than it does higher up in the sky. It has been known since ancient times and recorded by various cultures.[1][2] The explanation of this illusion is still debated.[2][3][4]

  1. ^ Wade, Nicholas J (1998). A natural history of vision. A Bradford Book. Cambridge MA, London, UK: The MIT Press. p. 377 ff. ISBN 978-0-262-23194-7.
  2. ^ a b Ross, Helen E.; Plug, Cornelis (2002). The mystery of the moon illusion. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 019-850862-X.
  3. ^ Hershenson, Maurice (2013). The Moon illusion. ISBN 978-0203771303.
  4. ^ McCready, Don (10 November 2004). "Finally! Why the Moon Looks Big at the Horizon and Smaller When Higher Up" (PDF). Psychology Department, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Retrieved 2 December 2015.