Anyone noticed how bright the moon is?

[Lawman]

I live in the woods..No artificial lights at night anywhere around me..It's bright as day outside..

[John Ranalletta]

From BBC news:

 

The full moon Friday night will be the biggest one of the year as Earth's natural satellite reaches its closest point to our planet.

 

Earth, the moon and the sun are all bound together by gravity, which keeps us going around the sun and keeps the moon going around us as it goes through phases. The moon makes a trip around Earth every 29.5 days. But the orbit is not a perfect circle.

 

The moon's average distance from us is about 238,855 miles (384,400 km). Friday night it will be just 221,560 miles (356,567 km) away.

 

It will be 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during the year,

[tallman]

It also was the first in years where sunset and moonrise were at the same minute.

 

Definitely a rider's moon.

[Bullett]

It's been overcast here.

[Hermes]

....lika big Pizza Pie, that's amore....

[Joel]

Almost needed to cover the windows to be able to get some sleep.

[AZKomet]

From BBC news:

 

The full moon Friday night will be the biggest one of the year as Earth's natural satellite reaches its closest point to our planet.

 

Earth, the moon and the sun are all bound together by gravity, which keeps us going around the sun and keeps the moon going around us as it goes through phases. The moon makes a trip around Earth every 29.5 days. But the orbit is not a perfect circle.

 

The moon's average distance from us is about 238,855 miles (384,400 km). Friday night it will be just 221,560 miles (356,567 km) away.

 

It will be 14 percent bigger in our sky and 30 percent brighter than some other full moons during the year,

 

 

I have seen this a few times in my life. Impressive..

[ESokoloff]

It's been overcast here.

 

Not here.

last night I was

.

 

Reminded me of dirt bike & buggy riding out in the desert in my early years.

You could see better with no driving lights on

[WestTX RT]

Or maybe some spongemonkey music.

[Ken H.]

hijack

 

I find it interesting that the fact that the moon’s image is bigger near the horizon is not only not true, but it’s a mental illusion, not an optical distortion. Which is why a photograph of a ‘big’ moon never works.

 

/hijack

 

[PLW]

This is clearly a sign of impending doom. Like a light bulb, the moon also gets brighter just before it burns out.

Take it for what it's worth, but you heard it from me first.

 

 

[Bud]

[AZKomet]

hijack

 

I find it interesting that the fact that the moon’s image is bigger near the horizon is not only not true, but it’s a mental illusion, not an optical distortion. Which is why a photograph of a ‘big’ moon never works.

 

/hijack

 

 

Actually it is not an illusion at all. The moon overhead is the same size in appearance as the moon at the horizon. What complicates it is the lack of size reference once it moves away from known objects to compare it to. Juxtapositional reference as it is known.

 

There are other factors that magnify it at the horizon....looking at it from a lower plane allows the red light from dust to create that same red shift that is seen in the far reaches of space. You also are essentially looking through hundreds if not thousands of miles of atmosphere when at the horizon. When overhead the atmospheric distortions are limited to less than 50 miles of the layers of air light must pass though to your eyes.

 

Clear as mud? You are welcome.

[AZKomet]

This is clearly a sign of impending doom. Like a light bulb, the moon also gets brighter just before it burns out.

Take it for what it's worth, but you heard it from me first.

 

 

Yeah? well stick around for another 5 billion years and see what our own sun does!! It will expand out past Jupiter and burn up everything in its path. We are on the 4th or 5th generation sun as we know it...So standby my friend...you're invited to the BBQ!

[Bud]

hijack

 

I find it interesting that the fact that the moon’s image is bigger near the horizon is not only not true, but it’s a mental illusion, not an optical distortion. Which is why a photograph of a ‘big’ moon never works.

 

/hijack

 

Actually it is not an illusion at all. The moon overhead is the same size in appearance as the moon at the horizon. What complicates it is the lack of size reference once it moves away from known objects to compare it to. Juxtapositional reference as it is known.

 

There are other factors that magnify it at the horizon....looking at it from a lower plane allows the red light from dust to create that same red shift that is seen in the far reaches of space. You also are essentially looking through hundreds if not thousands of miles of atmosphere when at the horizon. When overhead the atmospheric distortions are limited to less than 50 miles of the layers of air light must pass though to your eyes.

 

Clear as mud? You are welcome.

 

Of course it is an illusion.

 

" (1): perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature"

 

That is why, even though both images are the same size, it appears bigger at the horizon. Everyone agrees it appears bigger at the horizon. It is obvious. Until you hold up an aspirin at arms length and it covers the moon at both the horizon and overhead.

 

There has been exhaustive research and HERE is a link to more than you ever wanted to know on the subject.

[motoguy128]

It also was the first in years where sunset and moonrise were at the same minute.

 

Definitely a rider's moon.

 

 

Yes, makes it much easier the see the deer that are actively running across the road. I've been told to stay off the road at night on a motorcycle in the full moon because 4 legged critters are more active.

 

I saw it comming home from work. Very cool. The most memorable moon I remember seeing was about 6 years ago when an extremely large full moon was in the sky together with a very large and visible Mars.

[AZKomet]

hijack

 

I find it interesting that the fact that the moon’s image is bigger near the horizon is not only not true, but it’s a mental illusion, not an optical distortion. Which is why a photograph of a ‘big’ moon never works.

 

/hijack

 

Actually it is not an illusion at all. The moon overhead is the same size in appearance as the moon at the horizon. What complicates it is the lack of size reference once it moves away from known objects to compare it to. Juxtapositional reference as it is known.

 

There are other factors that magnify it at the horizon....looking at it from a lower plane allows the red light from dust to create that same red shift that is seen in the far reaches of space. You also are essentially looking through hundreds if not thousands of miles of atmosphere when at the horizon. When overhead the atmospheric distortions are limited to less than 50 miles of the layers of air light must pass though to your eyes.

 

Clear as mud? You are welcome.

 

Of course it is an illusion.

 

" (1): perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature"

 

That is why, even though both images are the same size, it appears bigger at the horizon. Everyone agrees it appears bigger at the horizon. It is obvious. Until you hold up an aspirin at arms length and it covers the moon at both the horizon and overhead.

 

There has been exhaustive research and HERE is a link to more than you ever wanted to know on the subject.

 

 

It is a matter of knowing what is an illusion and what is not. I know that the moon appears brighter and bigger at the horizon, however I know scientifically that it is the same size overhead.

[Bud]

Dave,

 

I have an 8" f5 mirror arriving soon which I will use to build a travel scope. Keep me busy this winter making it while I can not ride.

[AZKomet]

PM sent!

[hANNAbONE]

 

 

dEWD..! that is one big ass moon....

 

 

 

 

14% bigger - hell yeah.!

[Woodie]

We were camping on Sat night, went for a walk. BRIGHT!

 

We were even able to show the boys how to use the Moon to find north, since we could barely see the big dipper or the north star.

 

[Quinn]

We were camping on Sat night, went for a walk. BRIGHT!

 

We were even able to show the boys how to use the Moon to find north, since we could barely see the big dipper or the north star.

 

 

Okay, I give. How do you find North? I just assumed that the moon rose in the east and set in the west because of the earth's rotation.

 

 

[hANNAbONE]

yEAH...C'mon Woodie - give it up..!

[DaveTheAffable]

Okay, I give. How do you find North? I just assumed that the moon rose in the east and set in the west because of the earth's rotation.

 

 

The plane of the shadow or crescent points north and south. In the northern hemisphere, the "low end" of the shadow points south. And when it's full, if you know the facial features of the moon (because it's axis remains constant) you can roughly approximate north and south.

 

 

Go Woodie

[Woodie]

Obviously you two weren't Boy Scouts! LOL

 

take a straight stick, push it into the ground, pointing directly at the moon (or sun), so it casts no shadow.

 

Wait until the shadow is at least 6" long.

 

The shadow points east from the stick. The rest is left as an exercise for the reader.

 

Way easier than knowing the face of the moon! Kudo's to you if you DO!

[PLW]

This is clearly a sign of impending doom. Like a light bulb, the moon also gets brighter just before it burns out.

Take it for what it's worth, but you heard it from me first.

 

 

Yeah? well stick around for another 5 billion years and see what our own sun does!! It will expand out past Jupiter and burn up everything in its path. We are on the 4th or 5th generation sun as we know it...So standby my friend...you're invited to the BBQ!

 

Thanks for the invite, see you there.

I love BBQs.