Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site fortune.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!fortune!wall From: wall@fortune.UUCP (Jim Wall) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: An oldie revisited... Message-ID: <2549@fortune.UUCP> Date: Thu, 16-Feb-84 11:35:50 EST Article-I.D.: fortune.2549 Posted: Thu Feb 16 11:35:50 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 17-Feb-84 03:18:29 EST Organization: Fortune Systems, Redwood City, CA Lines: 29 Well, I've thought about it. Checked several times on several different occasions. But I'm sorry, there is just no way that the moon appears larger on the horizon just because of an optical illusion. Sure, it was a good try; I mean putting the guilt on us to believe that we were taken in my a mere illusion. So as a result of embarressment, no one spoke up, and you all won the round. But the time of truth has come. I mean to say that we had a very (reads: VERY) large full moon just over the horizon today, sort of peaking out from behind a few clouds. Now I first imagined that same size in the middle of the sky (also with some clouds around) and it would have still been huge. Now, no one is saying that there was an actuall change in physical dimensions or mass of the afore mentioned lunar object. But it sure looked larger than normal, and it was not (picture the stamping of foot and tensing of face to indicate firm belief), I repeat not, just because it was near some common reference points. Oh, I lsot one of my trains of thought (I know: they must be pretty narrow gauge), I even compared the size of the moon with a dime held at arms length, and then held that very same dime up and got a relative size to some clouds that were overhead. Yes, we are talking large moon. Much larger than you see on cold winter nights when it is straight over head. Lets revise the old atmospheric magnification ideas, or perhaps the visitors from another planet, no, wichchraft, yes that's it I'm sure! -Jim