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Mystery #3Tier 1moon and sky

Why does the Moon look enormous near the horizon but small high in the sky?

Sometimes a full Moon rises looking absolutely gigantic, glowing low over the rooftops and trees. A few hours later, riding high overhead, the very same Moon looks almost dinky. Yet the Moon hasn't shrunk, and it hasn't drifted closer. So why does it fool your eyes near the horizon?

A large orange full Moon low in a deep blue sky, right beside the top of a tall television tower
Photo: Julian Herzog · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Your guess

Why do you think the Moon looks so much bigger down low?

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