XPost: sci.physics, sci.physics.electromag   
   From: N0Spam@daqarta.com   
      
   On Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:26:12 +0000 (UTC), glen   
   herrmannsfeldt  wrote:   
      
   >In sci.physics.electromag "Anonymous Remailer (austria)"  wrote:   
   >   
   >   
   >(snip, I wrote)   
   >   
   >>> Next, can you explain why the moon looks bigger near the horizon   
   >>> than when it is high in the sky? It is easy to show that the   
   >>> angular size is the same in both cases, but subjectively the   
   >>> size is different.   
   >   
   >> Somebody posted his theory - said he was working on it - that the   
   >> reason is because our brains are wired to see things above us as   
   >> nearer than those in front of us.   
   >   
   >> And the reason for that is that when our great...grandfathers were   
   >> chipmunks, the danger was from above - a pterodactyl or something   
   >> of the sort swooping down.   
   >   
   >> What's your theory?   
   >   
   >I agree that it is because it seems closer, but I thought it was   
   >that there is nothing to compare the distance with. We can see   
   >that it is farther away than some trees, mountains, or other   
   >objects on earth. If you were near a tall tree, then you would   
   >have some reference up, but even that would be much closer than   
   >a tree on the horizon.   
   >   
   >-- glen   
      
   Back in the early '70s a psychology student I was dating   
   told me about this phenomenon.  She said that according to   
   her professor, the illusion that the moon was bigger near   
   the horizon would be destroyed if you faced away from it,   
   then bent down and viewed the scene upside down from between   
   your legs.  We tried that, but I honestly can't recall the   
   results... I guess I was a bit distracted at the time.     
      
   But assuming it was true, I think it would support the idea   
   that a reference is needed, and that viewing everything   
   upside down must upset the reference process.  I don't know   
   how much of that would be due to the image inversion, versus   
   having your head (and hence vestibular system) inverted.  I   
   suspect the latter is important.  We don't hear about any   
   effect from inverting a photo of the moon near the horizon,   
   but that may be a special case because the brain has plenty   
   of other cues with an inverted photo.   
      
   Best regards,   
      
      
   Bob Masta   
      
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