Why We Aren’t Sure Of The Moon’s Size | Neil deGrasse Tyson

#neildegrassetyson #moon #science #astrophysics #education Neil deGrasse Tyson explains how to trick your depth perception in order to get an idea of the size of the moon.

[@Tr1nGo]

Expected Neil to say "You can see Uranus."

[@MrElPoderozo1]

😄😁😆🤣🤣

[@orosedobheathaabhaile]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@blizzard6741]

I was expecting him to say “now you mooning the moon”. I can be dumb sometimes

[@wsoares89]

LOL how did you get to the misconception that he was funny

[@notsoblackwhite8590]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@irishdavis]

"... then pull down your pants, and you are mooning the moon."

[@GusCraft460]

That’s exactly what I thought he was about to say.

[@irishdavis]

​@@GusCraft460😂 Leave it to Niel to make something simple weird with big words.

[@Argumentiveableish]

Same here 😂 I thought the same.

[@NottyGamer]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Dang u r good!

[@seanmcmullen9524]

LMAO! That's what I thought he was going to say too!

[@devdecker7812]

Instructions unclear, now I'm pregnant with a moon baby

[@yougood809]

Ayo. See you took it too far man.

[@ArthurMorgaaaan]

Congrats man

[@satyam9267]

​@@ArthurMorgaaaanif he is pregnant then he is a woman(except for if he is pretending to be a man 😢😢😢)

[@empty_thesaurus]

Mecano made a whole song about this

[@jaymxu]

​@@yougood809 You're sus, you skibbidy rizzler, stop me xoxo YOLO

[@daymoncleveland0622]

“What are you doing step-moon?!”

[@Twilight91423]

"Showing you the fullest moon you've ever witnessed"

[@patmandew22]

haha nice

[@shade0mirth]

Oh, no! You look stuck like that. I can help.

[@jiji12boji2]

What are you doing step niel degrass?!

[@StonedOdie]

Omfg, lmmfao! I’m not the type to say “underrated comment” much at all. As a matter of fact think this is the first time I’ve ever sayid it lmfao. Fuckin awesome.

[@seriouscyrus6982]

The way Neil paused and looked him straight in his eyes after he told him to bend over like he was waiting for him to do it right then and there lmfao! Then the way buddy said "O-ok" with a look of concern took me TF out😂😂😂

[@kricku]

He's just pretending to have a conversation with Neil! 😂

[@cado8431]

best part is how serious Neil was when he said it 😂 “O-ok 😅” 💀😭

[@matthillfromcollege4109]

I’m not convinced he’s not just reacting to a video of Neil

[@MaximusTheChosenOne]

@@krickuwhat are you taking about? This is his co host

[@kricku]

@@MaximusTheChosenOne He looked out of it

[@ronaldmcelhaney3957]

Pull your pants down first

[@ThisIsSimulated]

🛸 {wtf)🍑🌚

[@jjvanniekerk4046]

There's a tree in the way

[@dezignateddriva]

Pull your pants down, over your head

[@badhombre4942]

Then you'll see Uranus.

[@smoko7113]

Now everyone can see a full moon

[@Drivesfastlikescats]

Niel deGrasse thinking about all the ppl he made stick their butts out at the moon for no damn reason: 😂😂

[@thelaughingrouge]

Sir, this is a Wendy's.

[@Hohmies86]

So I be outside tonight doin some weird shot Hope my neighbors don’t see

[@WonderScience.]

Lol lol 😆

[@kryptoniridium]

I saw you pointing Uranus at the moon yesterday.

[@brianstrutter1501]

Lol no kidding

[@bepositivestaynegative]

Did it work?

[@Hohmies86]

@@bepositivestaynegative oddly enough it looks bigger So I went over to trampoline to lay my head over the edge upside down

[@aleksandarl6975]

"And then you feel moon's gravitational pull and you rip one out like you never have before" 😂

[@jatinsanan7318]

After moving from india, to Australia, i just realised after 6 years that i have been seeing the moon upside down for the last 6 years, compared to the rest of my life.

[@brianstrutter1501]

Ahhh therefore more proof the Earth isn't flat

[@Gribbo9999]

It also moves the other way over time in Aus (right to left )

[@sinnombrea1944]

​@@brianstrutter1501But it's hollow earth.

[@eternalextrapolations]

If you watch more carefully, you will see that it rotates during the night

[@codyjohnson5468]

​@eternalextrapolations seriously!? we're you high?

[@BlkOut305]

Neil quietly sneaks behind you

[@celestialknight2339]

“Sir, I just asked if you can touch your toes”

[@episodeinfinity]

The perfect loop doesn’t exi………😮

[@Reno420alex]

Wasn't very perfect

[@GiSoldier559]

Stupid comment

[@notunknownking]

​@@Reno420alexNot perfect at all

[@BureauATF]

We've all moved on from that dumb ass comment and you're out here with your head in the clouds dropping old, overused comments like its 2021

[@robert13605]

He just wants some likes guys he is self conscious about himself and this is the only thing he can feel satisfied getting with his life comon guys don't put him down this is his biggest moment his life will ever see .

[@nugmit1]

'But Neil, the question was, How are you doing today?''

[@thomasd1513]

Stand on one leg… Rub your belly… Tap your head… And still look bewildered in video.

[@azubukofelix1133]

Wow, this is great and I understood every NOTHING of all he said..😢

[@wickedbasket8858]

So your depth perception of the moon changes depending on what is surrounding the moon in the sky. So if it's on the horizon it's going to look bigger compared to the trees you're used to seeing and know the size of, but looks smaller further into the sky it goes because there is nothing up there you can genuinely compare it to because you don't know the actual size of the stars.

[@Jake-li7ih]

​@@wickedbasket8858so what about the thing being at sea? Will the moon look larger or smaller?

[@wickedbasket8858]

@@Jake-li7ih I don't know. I was just putting into context what Neil said so the original commenter understood. I wouldn't know how it works at sea where there is not really many context clues on the horizon.

[@timharig]

It is a horrible cut without necessarily context. I think he is referencing that people tend to overestimate the relative size of the moon. Ask yourself this: how many degrees of arc is the moon viewed in the night sky. Most likely you will guess larger than the approximately half a degree that it actually is. NDT's contention is that people are less likely to overestimate the size when they see it next to something else for reference. So if you see it next to a tree on the horizon, or your between legs, you are likely to give a reasonable size estimate than if you see it in the sky over the ocean where there is no comparative reference.

[@timharig]

​@@Jake-li7ihLarger. People tend to overestimate the size of the moon without something to reference it against. If you look at artwork that shows the moon in the sky, it is almost always much larger than it should actually be. In realty, the moon is only about one half degree across its diameter.

[@sofiandeclercq1818]

Expected him to say "You're mooning the moon"

[@honodle7219]

The huge moon effect is still charming.

[@isiahhilton1115]

The first time I consumed psilocybin mushrooms, I was in the country surrounded by crop fields for miles. At some point, I went out in one of the empty fields around 8pm, so it was dark, and laid on a giant hay bail on my back, and so on the curve. My view was upside down. I was looking at our house, which was backed perfectly 360 degrees with black silhouettes of our giant trees and then nothing else. It was fields everywhere else. And the moon was huge. Everything Neil is describing is beyond true, but imagine the visual affect and mindset that psilocybin adds to that experience. Boy, it was definitely a new life changing view. Earth, plants and animals, including human animals, are such a phenomenon, and it's so beautiful.

[@TerriHetrick-vu5tb]

Can we get married, or... R u busy? Sorry it's sudden. But I think I'm in love... Lol lbvs

[@isiahhilton1115]

@TerriHetrick-vu5tb I mean. That's a possibility. The universe is an interesting place😉

[@Razzy-sr4oq]

He said all those words just to avoid saying "optical illusion"

[@russ109]

Neil to moon- I’ll make 100,000 humans moon you Moon to Neil- Yea right.

[@nick9463]

Joe Rogan's bear and Neil DeGrasse Tyson's moon. 😂

[@KZGames9967]

i totally expected neil to say “bend over, touch your toes, i’ll show you where the monster goes”.

[@Suzanne-goes-Carnivore]

Owww 😂

[@jacobcavanagh4501]

The looping is on point

[@eddyram4932]

Make sure you pull your pants down and moon the moon to assert dominance😂

[@Corporal_Coyote]

"Go moon the moon"

[@statik47]

I always thought it was the thick atmosphere that helped magnify the moon on the horizon because you're looking through more layers of atmosphere when you're looking at the horizon vs looking straight up in the sky.....

[@taraled]

When the moon sets over the ocean it seems larger.

[@robertgelley6454]

Exactly. Neil is wrong. It is larger due to the image of the moon going through more atmosphere making it appear larger.

[@according2sean]

​@robertgelley6454 what do you mean "going through more atmosphere"? That's a weird statement. I don't know you or Neil, but in probably just gonna go with what Neil said.

[@FinneasJedidiah]

​@@according2seanyou really don't understand what he meant? It's pretty clear he means that the light traveling from the moon has to travel though more atmosphere, and is magnified because of that

[@according2sean]

@@FinneasJedidiah well the way its worded, its implyed he meant the moon is local and passing through our atmosphere. either way he's wrong as shit... the atmosphere has nothing to do with how large the moon appears. The atmosphere it not a magnifying glass. Infact, the more I think about it the more silly it sounds

[@Will-kq4cm]

You should see it setting over Uranus 😅😅

[@timmullen7703]

Chuck’s eyes just screamed “PAUSE”

[@BHJ7115]

A legend in his own mind.

[@ChrisSmith-wf8qd]

Saw the moon rise at the beach at OCMD.. It was so huge it looked like you could walk right out and touch it.

[@KingSosa-of5oe]

This guy is the master of speaking an awful lot without actually saying anything

[@ButterBallTheOpossum]

Thats why pictures of the moon always look smaller than in person

[@user-anassarkiza]

So you should moon the moon? Sorry.

[@yes-yd6xu]

bro started lookin at neil like *instructions unclear*

[@kellyhoward6941]

I love how he can create interesting educational opportunities out of ANYTHING.

[@ksimpson31]

This is a great loop! Bravo!

[@soothan86]

Kid: hey dad checkout the moon Niel: what’s it look like I’m doing Kid: 👁️ 👄 👁️

[@twk7861]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂...your imagination!😂

[@zulfikarbektas]

Was expecting "Turn around to the moon, bend over... and get fuvked" 😂

[@cjames9320]

He legit stopped the short before telling us.

[@JayJay-ye7ic]

Can't tell if serious

[@cjames9320]

@JayJay-ye7ic no, just pointing out his stupidity for looping the video without purpose. Not a big deal, just a huge pet peeve of mine for no reason. Comedic loops have value. This loop added no value.

[@JayJay-ye7ic]

@cjames9320 It had a comedic purpose tho? The answer without the question was extremely sus

[@WonderScience.]

Seems you missed it...but there is definitely an answer and question there. Maybe you missed the title?...

[@cjames9320]

@WonderScience. no as I said I'm just pointing out the stupidity of the loop. Please stop doing pointless loops. They add no value to your content. Don't get upset, I didn't go to your page and watch it, it came up randomly in my feed, so I'm giving you feedback. It's not positive feedback, but it's constructive.

[@rorypike1541]

Neil has a valid point. One could also use a box to block out everything on the sides, open end facing the moon, and have a viewport toward you. So all you're looking at is the moon. Perspective is everyrhing.

[@pjRaging]

I can't tell where it starts this sir is a perfect loop

[@snarglblargn4986]

"Sir would you like a refill of your iced tea?"

[@A87-p1l]

That insert had me weak 😂😂😂😂

[@roccovalenti3514]

Neil: turn your back to the moon, bend over and say cheese. I'm screwing with you. 😂😂😂

[@old300farm]

The apparent size of the moon changes on the horizon because you're looking at the moon through more atmosphere which causes a lensing effects that magnifies the moon and also creates more mirage. When the moon is high in the sky it looks smaller (closer to its real size from earths perspective) because you are seeing it through less atmosphere which also reduces the mirage effect and makes a higher quality photo is you are taking images of the moon.

[@smogdude]

I saw Dr. George Fischbeck demonstrate this in the 70s when he was weatherman for KTLA in Los Angeles.

[@RickyRayPhotography]

Don’t do this when the moon is at its highest point in the sky, you’ll break your spine.

[@CarinaCoffee]

This might explain how when there's a really huge moon and I want to take a picture to show my family and friends it never shows up as big as it seems to the naked eye.

[@MISCELLANEOUSGOON]

That lil Terio moment was funny af

[@williamjones7163]

I once thought the moon was huge over the horizon. So I looked at the moon and stuck my thumb up at arms length. My thumb covered the moon. I did it again when the moon was straight overhead. My thumb was still covering the moon. The moon does not change size. Your perspective of the moon does.

[@alikhan81]

Chuck: Yo Neil, my back is a lil stiff today Neil:

[@kevinmcfarland1121]

You can measure the moon using Lazer beams. Also, if you know the distance, you can measure it using a basic transit and level.

[@SnarkNSass]

MOON THE MOON 😂😂😂😂😂

[@julian009]

I do a lot of night time fishing in the Florida keys. The moon still looks bigger when its rising on open waters

[@davelordy]

deGrasse have been using this trick for years, it's how he got me.

[@mtbddp]

he just explained smth that i think about regularly bc i live in switzerland and watch the stars and moon a lot but my grandparents live in croatia and the reason the moon looks huge there is bc there arent mountains changing your perception

[@dianac818]

I once saw the full moon rise up over the ocean. The full moon was ginormous 😮. It was amazing

[@tinbanger66]

"If you do this, your neighbor's gonna call the cops. Or at least an ambulance."

[@SirCliamain]

I'd love to sit in a room with this man. The way he thinks and puts hit thoughts into words is amazing.

[@Johno143]

I did this, i couldn't see the moon, but i did do the loudest fart, Ever 😂

[@renaissancedesign9520]

I thought he was going to say, "Now you're mooning the moon". 😁

[@renzo7503]

Why we aren't sure of the moon's size..."Turn around, bend over...".

[@bananasandbass]

Mooning the moon with Uranus

[@Yvola]

i was expecting "that's how the southern hemisphere sees the moon"

[@justguy-4630]

Chuck looks slightly concerned at the instructions.

[@LG-qz8om]

Anyone who has ever been shown the Earth & Moon to scale and the distance is surprised how large the Moon looks. It's Visual Distance appearing to be approx 85,000 mi (instead of 238,000mi). Our view of the Sun and even Mars (and the other planets) is similarly reduced. Mars looks so close that when looking at it next to the Moon, you can actually see the disc of the planet (not a pinpoint of light).

[@justguy-4630]

Okay... I'm gonna try it-Oops! There goes my pants.

[@leetheboss8538]

Moon the moon 🌙😂😂😂😂😂

[@akiltahsin7981]

"BEND OVER!" - "uh-huh 👁️👄👁️"

[@MechanicalTriage]

If it’s just a mental mirage, why does it also photograph larger?

[@AtomicJosh]

Remember to think what you think about what others think. Do this and you’ll be wiser than anyone who only agrees or disagrees.

[@russellwillmoth9734]

The phenomenon where the Moon (or Sun) appears larger when it's near the horizon compared to when it's higher up in the sky is commonly called the "Moon illusion." This optical illusion has been observed for centuries and has sparked various explanations. The exact cause is still debated among researchers, but there are some popular theories: 1. **Atmospheric Effects:** When the Moon is near the horizon, its light passes through more of the Earth's atmosphere, which can cause the light to refract. However, this effect makes objects appear higher in the sky and slightly smaller, not larger, so it can't fully explain the illusion. 2. **Relative Size Comparison:** One of the most widely accepted explanations is the Ponzo illusion. When the Moon is near the horizon, our brain tends to compare it to other familiar objects on the horizon (like trees, buildings, or hills). When the Moon is higher up in the sky, there's nothing to compare it to, so it appears smaller. This relative size comparison tricks our brains into perceiving the horizon Moon as larger. 3. **Distance Perception:** Another theory suggests that we perceive the sky as a flattened dome rather than a hemisphere. When the Moon is on the horizon, it seems farther away than when it's overhead. Given that we interpret the Moon as being at a greater distance, but its angular size doesn't change, our brains perceive it as being larger. 4. **Oculomotor Micropsia/Macropsia:** One suggestion is that when we look up, the muscles controlling our eyes cause them to slightly diverge. This divergence might cause objects to appear smaller. Conversely, when looking straight ahead or down, convergence might cause objects to appear larger. It's worth noting that when people measure the Moon's size using instruments (like a protractor or specially designed apps) across various positions in the sky, the size remains consistent. This confirms that the phenomenon is an illusion and not a physical enlargement of the Moon.

[@quackerzdb]

You can also just cover the horizon with your arm. Try it. It's fun.

[@mohammadal-ayoubi9786]

- Turn around with the moon to your back -bend over -ahh yeh... -stay like that - i can see Uranus

[@stevenmerlock9971]

Golly and I thought it was due to atmospheric lensing. But I also believe pulsar’s quasar’s and other markers in space are used for navigation.

[@Ink_Addict93]

Context: He asked Neil what time it was.

[@liamdeckerthill2747]

I do this all the time but I live on a lake you go to the edge of the dock and you hang your head over the edge while laying on your back and sometimes you can actually feel like you could just fall off the earth

[@thisguyhere675]

There's no context, but they're talking about why the moon looks so large on the horizon. But then it looks small when it appears higher in the sky. I wondered this myself and still don't fully understand.

[@rico8089]

Noticed the same thing moving from Washington to Hawaii The moon used to be north-south, and now it's east-west like a Smiley face

[@jackpippenstock1104]

Mooning the moon. Nice reverse Uno move.

[@jmarmusic5702]

That’s fascinating, I’ve always wondered why the moon is just absolutely massive sometimes and then immediately not

[@MrLineberry]

My buddy did this and I thought he was insane. I did it myself and even though he was insane also had a really good point.

[@Jesus-Stuff]

Neil has clearly been introduced to edibles. 😂

[@austin5201]

I had this on repeat under my bed and would just occasionally hear Tyson enthusiastically say " and bend over" above everything else

[@spacedoutcowboy4194]

Or one could drop ones pants and....moon the moon...

[@CodeManDew94]

Moon the Moon!

[@aaronwest4098]

Pull down your pants, now you’re the moon

[@r1nc3w1nd7]

Perspective was explained best in Father Ted: "These [he points to some plastic cows on the table] are small, but those [pointing at some cows out of the window] are far away... Small, far away."

[@Sevenigma777]

If you do that while your pants are down then you are mooning the moon!

[@frostkiller]

“What’s throwing around your balls, is…. The moon”

[@mrwashur1991]

Directions unclear, I am now pregnant with moon-children.

[@RedHaloManiac95]

Every-time I look at the moon through my legs it’s a lunar eclipse

[@massey81]

Once saw the moon rising over a hill that had buildings on it. I was on the roof of a 5 story building and when i saw the moon a was astonished at how humongous it seemed.

[@julienlandry9863]

What I was taught was that the moon appears bigger on the horizon due to the refraction of light through the atmosphere, as compared to when it is it it's zenith... Hard to explain without a drawing..

[@silentbuccaneer4569]

That little kid subliminal message. Like the flash of Coca-Cola on a movie screen.

[@bunkersnikafa8635]

"... and look at the moon, upsidedown, through my balls..."

[@thomasmills3934]

Idk what the issue is... the moon and suns disks both appear about the same size. Thats how full eclipses are possible.

[@Dennis-c1w]

I would pass out and probably have a heart attack if I tried to view the moon that way.