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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