tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206171.post-85959268536464490452008-06-18T13:49:00.001-05:002008-06-18T13:50:49.636-05:002008-06-18T13:50:49.636-05:00<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MW8IvaNBlLA/SFlYNAoTWgI/AAAAAAAAAko/L9d2jRVNNYc/s1600-h/moon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213295024188643842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="139" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MW8IvaNBlLA/SFlYNAoTWgI/AAAAAAAAAko/L9d2jRVNNYc/s200/moon.jpg" width="154" border="0" /></a> Tonight, Wednesday - June 18th, is a great night to get a great look at the Moon. Because of a seasonal lunar optical illusion, the moon will appear to be gigantic as it rises in the sky from the horizon towards the top of the sky.<br /><br />Although it looks like the moon is closer, it's really not. There are a couple of things at work here.<br /><br /><br />First, we're dealing with a pretty full solstice moon this week. You might have noticed it lighting up through your windows the last couple days.<br /><br />Secondly, everything looks magnified when it's close to the horizon. Take clouds for instance. We're accustomed to looking straight up intot he sky and seeing clouds. But clouds near the horizon seem to be so far away. If you think it's hundreds of miles away, but it's not, it appears to be bigger to you.<br /><br />The same thing happens with the sun, although I don't recommend that you stare straight into it. The sun seems super huge as it's rising or setting. But int he middle of day when it's overhead, it seems smaller.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MW8IvaNBlLA/SFlYBQeE7KI/AAAAAAAAAkg/YeiZPQ20vOI/s1600-h/gonzo.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5213294822282292386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 70px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 92px" height="92" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_MW8IvaNBlLA/SFlYBQeE7KI/AAAAAAAAAkg/YeiZPQ20vOI/s200/gonzo.jpg" width="49" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The is called the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzo_illusion">Ponzo Illusion</a>. I have no idea who Ponzo is. Maybe he's Gonzo's brother.<br /><br />So check it out.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.40-below.com/sunmoon/">Moonrise</a> times in the States:<br /><br />New York City: 8:58 pm<br />St. Louis: 8:58 pm<br />Miami: 8:35 pm<br />Seattle: 9:51 pmThe Phoenixhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11571082583740830927noreply@blogger.com11