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To: SunkenCiv

I love the Venus twist. Yes, this display was well planned indeed. Lovely picture.

But I thought that the Sun’s or the Moon’s looking larger at the horizon rather than up higher in the sky was an optical illusion that does not show up on film. But I actually measured the diameter of the sun on the horizon against the highest orb, and it actually is bigger at the horizon. Sigh... Another thing I was positive I knew, blown to smithereens.


10 posted on 09/20/2012 7:38:42 PM PDT by TheOldLady
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To: TheOldLady

The Sun’s apparent diameter changes with the time of the year, due to the Earth’s elliptical orbit; we’re closest in January and furthest in July, which means that n hemisphere’s summer is a little cooler while s hemisphere’s winter is also a little colder; and our winter is a little warmer while their summer’s a little hotter. That doesn’t explain Antarctica of course, but it’s still interesting.

Oh, and the Moon’s apparent diameter changes for the same reason, the difference between apogee and perigee (and I can’t ever keep them straight) is about 13, 000 miles, or a bit more than 5 percent.


11 posted on 09/21/2012 5:43:09 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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