# The moon illusion

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Andrew Vanden Heuvel
- Year: 2013
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Astronomy and space
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_vanden_heuvel_the_moon_illusion)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Tweens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Have you noticed how the full moon looks bigger on the horizon than high overhead? Actually, the two images are exactly the same size -- so why do we perceive them differently? Scientists aren't sure, but there are plenty of intriguing theories. Andrew Vanden Heuvel unravels the details of focus, distance and proportion that contribute to this mystifying optical illusion. \[Directed by Kozmonot Animation Studio, narrated by Michelle Snow\].

## Lectures

1. [The moon illusion](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/andrew_vanden_heuvel_the_moon_illusion/922e96b641ca), 4 min (TED's player)