June 20, 2005

June Astronomy Note - Summer Moon

An Arizona Moon always looks closer.
The full moon is 21 June. It is remarkable because it is the lowest "hanging" moon in 18 years. This makes a good time to witness and learn about the odd "Moon Illusion" that makes these low-hanging moons look HUGE.
For a detailed discussion of the "Ponzo Effect" and other theories about why a low-hanging moon looks so large, or so close, check out this Science @ NASA webpage.

Posted by The Naturalist at June 20, 2005 3:27 PM