Why isnt the moon obscured by atmospheric particles?

a reply to: clevargenuis

Yet the moon which is much further from our eye than mountains appears so crystal clear you could almost count the craters on it.

The moon is OFTEN entirely obscured by "atmospheric particles" called clouds. And other particulate matter does definitely affect its appearance.

In general looking straight up ( or approximately straight up ) through a few hundred feet of dust and other particulate matter that hangs close to the ground you are looking through less particulate matter than if you are looking through several miles of the stuff towards the horizon.

The moon DOES look different at setting and rising (when it is close to the horizen) than it does when it is directly overhead.

originally posted by: clevargenuis

if a mountain a few miles away is so hazy, you shouldnt be able to see far away moon craters in such clarity and detail.

And you can't, when it's on the horizon. When it's up some, you aren't looking through nearly as much atmosphere.

Looking through turbulent air is why you get those "hologram ripples" the youtubers constantly whinge about.

originally posted by: clevargenuis

So why is this?

If you compare a scene that's not taken with a tele lens like this one, you'll find the moon on the horizon has the same sort of haziness as the objects on the horizon.

Apples. Oranges. You are trying to compare your memory of something to a photo of it.

Hey OP!

I completely forgot (*slaps forehead*). The moon IS obscured by atmospheric particles! Have you every seen the moon through/after a forest fire? It is all red and ominous looking.

Google: "moon volcano pictures" and have a look. Some pics look pretty cool!

[ETA: also try "moon forest fires pictures" for what I saw... during a rare winter forest fire!]