(no subject)

[tree_and_leaf]

The moon out there is as big as a penny, and somewhat copper coloured. My American flatmates, especially the ones from the no-drinking and modesty rule college are discussing whether or not this means the apocalypse.

Personally, I think

(a): if that's supposed to be blood coloured, I'm not impressed. God, however, is not an artistic slouch. This suggests there's some other reason.

(b): I'm not going to get really worried unless a wolf eats the sun...

Comments

[neutrino-cannon.livejournal.com]

The moon out there is as big as a penny



The moon doesn't change its solid arc as viewed from the Earth to any significant degree. That it looks larger when closer to the ground isn't atmospheric distortion, as is sometimes claimed; it's purely an optical illusion.

I suppose this is a good thing; optical illusions are more personal than atmospheric phenomena. The wind is the result of impersonal temperature gradients, while an optical illusion is a quirk related very much to the human condition and the quirks of brain circuitry. Funny that for millenia people have tried to anthropomorphize the wind as a thinking, feeling god whilst they have tried to write off optical illusions as unimportant parlor tricks.

[tree_and_leaf]

Yes, but the colour must be atmospheric distortion linked?

Not that I know anything about it :)

[neutrino-cannon.livejournal.com]

You are correct. The explanation I'm familiar with is that it's the same reason the sky is blue: Shorter wavelengths are preferentially scattered, which leaves behind the longer reds and oranges. This effect is most noticable when the moon is low in the sky (which is also when it appears largest) and transmits light through more layers of atmosphere.

I've never heard of an optical illusion that distorts colors, save after images. They may exist though...

(begins to scour google)