MOONRISE OVER SEATTLE
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Is the Moon larger when near the horizon?

No -- as shown in the attached photo, the Moon appears to be very nearly
the same size no matter its location on the sky. Oddly, the cause or
causes for the common Moon Illusion are still being debated.

Two leading explanations both hinge on the illusion that foreground
objects make a horizon Moon seem farther in the distance.

The historically most popular explanation then holds that the mind
interprets more distant objects as wider, while a more recent
explanation adds that the distance illusion may actually make the eye
focus differently. Either way, the angular diameter of the Moon is
always about 0.5 degrees.

In the above time-lapse sequence the Moon was briefly re-imaged every
2.5 minutes, with the last exposure of longer duration to bring up a
magnificent panorama of the city of Seattle.

[Source: Shay Stephens]

URL:
http://www.sciforums.com/t5548/s7bc47ecd60f6c910aaec2faae25d1b3f/thread.html