Definitive moon size illusion experiment

Mike Ruskai wrote:

The illusion is alive and well when out on the ocean,
with no terrestrial objects anywhere in sight.

That would seem to imply that there is a connection with our
equilibrium, which tells the brain whether our head is level with the
horizon or tilted upward.


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On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:37:37 -0400, starman wrote:

Mike Ruskai wrote:

The illusion is alive and well when out on the ocean,
with no terrestrial objects anywhere in sight.

That would seem to imply that there is a connection with our
equilibrium, which tells the brain whether our head is level with the
horizon or tilted upward.

Perhaps a convincing planetarium projection on the ceiling, viewed while
lying down, could provide support (or not) for that theory.


--
- Mike

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On Fri, 09 Jul 2004 00:37:37 -0400, starman wrote:

Mike Ruskai wrote:

The illusion is alive and well when out on the ocean,
with no terrestrial objects anywhere in sight.

That would seem to imply that there is a connection with our
equilibrium, which tells the brain whether our head is level with the
horizon or tilted upward.

Perhaps a convincing planetarium projection on the ceiling, viewed while
lying down, could provide support (or not) for that theory.


--
- Mike

Remove 'spambegone.net' and reverse to send e-mail.

Mike Ruskai wrote:

The illusion is alive and well when out on the ocean,
with no terrestrial objects anywhere in sight.

That would seem to imply that there is a connection with our
equilibrium, which tells the brain whether our head is level with the
horizon or tilted upward.


-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
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On 6 Jul 2004 16:24:02 -0700, Mark Elkington wrote:

We left a party the other night and drove away up a hill. The moon was
full and low on the horizon, viewable through the branches of trees
and over the rooftops of houses at the top of the hill.

It looked huge, as big as the distant trees and houses.

As we drove toward the top of the hill, the moon shrank! By the time
we reached the top, the moon was only the size a soccer ball in the
branches of the now close trees.

So there you have it. Closeness to the horizon was not the cause, but
rather relative distances to terrestrial reference objects.

Sorry, but wrong. The illusion is alive and well when out on the ocean,
with no terrestrial objects anywhere in sight.


--
- Mike

Remove 'spambegone.net' and reverse to send e-mail.

"Mark Elkington" wrote in message
om...
We left a party the other night and drove away up a hill. The moon was
full and low on the horizon, viewable through the branches of trees
and over the rooftops of houses at the top of the hill.

It looked huge, as big as the distant trees and houses.

As we drove toward the top of the hill, the moon shrank! By the time
we reached the top, the moon was only the size a soccer ball in the
branches of the now close trees.

So there you have it. Closeness to the horizon was not the cause, but
rather relative distances to terrestrial reference objects.

However the moon illusion also works at sea with NO terrestrial references
whatsoever.

"Mark Elkington" wrote in message
om...
We left a party the other night and drove away up a hill. The moon was
full and low on the horizon, viewable through the branches of trees
and over the rooftops of houses at the top of the hill.

It looked huge, as big as the distant trees and houses.

As we drove toward the top of the hill, the moon shrank! By the time
we reached the top, the moon was only the size a soccer ball in the
branches of the now close trees.

So there you have it. Closeness to the horizon was not the cause, but
rather relative distances to terrestrial reference objects.

However the moon illusion also works at sea with NO terrestrial references
whatsoever.