<p>I've noticed that when I look into the sky at night, sometimes the moon appears very large near the horizon. Sometimes it also looks like it has a yellow tint. </p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ulPd2.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Is this the light rays bouncing off the moon differently, or the atmosphere of the earth, or some type of sunspot blocking part of the light to the moon?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-26T20:35:20.587Z
The Moon or Sun near the horizon looks reddish for the same reason the sky is blue. Blue light is preferentially scattered by the atmosphere. When the Moon or Sun is near the horizon, its light travels through more of the atmosphere; the scattering of the blue light leaves just the reddish light.
Keith Thompson
<the-moon><horizon>
Why does the Moon seem larger when it is close to the horizon?
Timtech
# Why does the Moon seem larger when it is close to the horizon?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-26)

I've noticed that when I look into the sky at night, sometimes the moon appears very large near the horizon. Sometimes it also looks like it has a yellow tint.

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ulPd2.jpg)

Is this the light rays bouncing off the moon differently, or the atmosphere of the earth, or some type of sunspot blocking part of the light to the moon?

**Tags:** the-moon, horizon

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The Moon or Sun near the horizon looks reddish for the same reason the sky is blue. Blue light is preferentially scattered by the atmosphere. When the Moon or Sun is near the horizon, its light travels through more of the atmosphere; the scattering of the blue light leaves just the reddish light.  

---

## 0 answers

