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Card 970 of 9992026-08-30 issue

Observed arrival · 2026-08-30

Why Is the Moon So Big?

whyisthemoonsobig.com Observed source
Editorial interest 88/100 Selection signal · not a rating of the site

An irreverent, interactive explainer about the Moon illusion, photography, atmospheric effects, and the Moon’s actual changing distance.

Landing page captured for the 2026-08-30 issue.

Field notes

The page separates three effects that are often collapsed into one: the horizon-based Moon illusion, the limited pixel coverage produced by wide phone lenses, and the Moon’s real orbital variation. Its demonstrations keep the comparison concrete, including two 120-pixel Moons and a zoom control spanning 0.5× to 10×. It also gives the Moon an angular width of roughly 0.5° and notes that a near-perigee full Moon can be about 14% wider than a comparable distant one.

Observed signals

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Editorial observations of this landing page, not a rating.

○OpenPublic substance visible
✦PrettyNotable craft visible
●ProPolished or operationally mature
◎NicheUnusually specific use

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whyisthemoonsobig.com

Landing page observed 2026-08-30. The live site may have changed.