The moon illusion: I. How high is the sky? - PubMed

The moon illusion: I. How high is the sky?

J C Baird et al. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982 Sep.

Abstract

The most common explanations of the moon illusion assume that the moon is seen at a specific distance in the sky, which is perceived as a definite surface. A decrease in the apparent distance to the sky with increasing elevation presumably leads to a corresponding decrease in apparent size. In Experiment 1 observers (N = 24) gave magnitude estimates of the distance to the night sky at different elevations. The results did not support the flattened-dome hypothesis. In Experiment 2 observers (N = 20) gave magnitude estimates of the distance to the sky at points around a 360 degrees circle just above the horizon. The results were consistent with those of Experiment 1, and in addition, estimates were highly correlated with the physical distances of buildings at the horizon. In a third, control experiment, observers (N = 20) gave magnitude estimates of the distances of buildings at the horizon. A power function fit the relation between estimated and physical distance (exponent = 1.17) as well as the relation between estimates of the sky points above the buildings (Experiment 2) and estimates of building distances (exponent = .46). Taken together, the results disconfirm all theories that attribute the moon illusion to a "sky illusion" of the sort exemplified by the flattened-dome hypothesis.

Similar articles

• The moon illusion: II. A reference theory.

  Baird JC. Baird JC. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982 Sep;111(3):304-15. doi: 10.1037//0096-3445.111.3.304. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982. PMID: 6215461

• The moon illusion revisited.

  Iavecchia JH, Iavecchia HP, Roscoe SN. Iavecchia JH, et al. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1983 Jan;54(1):39-46. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1983. PMID: 6830556

• Moon illusion and spiral aftereffect: illusions due to the loom-zoom system?

  Hershenson M. Hershenson M. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982 Dec;111(4):423-40. doi: 10.1037//0096-3445.111.4.423. J Exp Psychol Gen. 1982. PMID: 6219186

• The increasing effects of light pollution on professional and amateur astronomy.

  Varela Perez AM. Varela Perez AM. Science. 2023 Jun 16;380(6650):1136-1140. doi: 10.1126/science.adg0269. Epub 2023 Jun 15. Science. 2023. PMID: 37319198 Review.

• The Sky is Pink.

  Nayak N. Nayak N. J Palliat Med. 2023 Dec;26(12):1759-1760. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2023.0454. J Palliat Med. 2023. PMID: 38060320 Review. No abstract available.

Cited by

• Moon illusions redescribed.

  McCready D. McCready D. Percept Psychophys. 1986 Jan;39(1):64-72. doi: 10.3758/bf03207585. Percept Psychophys. 1986. PMID: 3703663 No abstract available.

• The perception of vertical and horizontal distances in outdoor settings.

  Higashiyama A, Ueyama E. Higashiyama A, et al. Percept Psychophys. 1988 Aug;44(2):151-6. doi: 10.3758/bf03208707. Percept Psychophys. 1988. PMID: 3405741 No abstract available.

• Anisotropic perception of visual angle: implications for the horizontal-vertical illusion, overconstancy of size, and the moon illusion.

  Higashiyama A. Higashiyama A. Percept Psychophys. 1992 Mar;51(3):218-30. doi: 10.3758/bf03212248. Percept Psychophys. 1992. PMID: 1561047

• How accurate is size and distance perception for very far terrestrial objects? Function and causality.

  Higashiyama A, Shimono K. Higashiyama A, et al. Percept Psychophys. 1994 Apr;55(4):429-42. doi: 10.3758/bf03205300. Percept Psychophys. 1994. PMID: 8036122

• Automatic and attentional components in perception of size-at-a-distance.

  Epstein W, Broota KD. Epstein W, et al. Percept Psychophys. 1986 Oct;40(4):256-62. doi: 10.3758/bf03211505. Percept Psychophys. 1986. PMID: 3786093 No abstract available.

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Ovid Technologies, Inc.