So the big dipper, is really big ?

Sorry for such a silly first post ever... And I wasn't overly sure where to post, so the gray area seemed a good spot.

I'm not an astronomer, though I can recognize a couple constellations. Of those are the big dipper & the little Dipper. I watch them each season, when visible because they are easy to find. Well tonight, like 5 minutes ago I was on the porch having a smoke. And I looked up to find the big dipper.. Nothing unusual there, she's right where she was supposed to be.

But she looks HUGE tonight ! She's taking up a good quarter of the horizon, and it struck me.. I don't remember her looking soo big before.

Anyone able to take a look outside and see if it looks unusually larger for this time in September to them ? No I don't think Earth is flying off out of orbit, I don't think a rogue planet is gravity lensing the stars light or anything silly like that. Just... It seems unusually large to me tonight.

Just me ?

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Seriously, can you see a star like object up there too, flashing green, red and white?

originally posted by: EA006
a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Seriously, can you see a star like object up there too, flashing green, red and white?

No... But I'm in a mid sized town so light pollution might be drowning it out. However Virgo seems abit larger too though, not overly large like how the big dipper seems, but larger.

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

They upgraded the hologram to HDV.
Things look bigger depending on where you are in relation to the screen.
I think they said the best spot to view the new HD set up is on the 33 parallel.

a reply to: NowWhat

LOL funny. But seriously, the big dipper just seems overly large tonight.

I don't know, maybe it's just me /shrug

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

The Big Dipper is actually a Asterism, meaning it's part of a larger constellation, in this case, Ursa Major.

I did a thread on this quite a while ago:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: eriktheawful

Ya I know.. But does it seem rather large to YOU tonight ?

EDIT :
The front half of the bear is below the horizon to me right now. Just FYI.

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

No.

But then I'm used to seeing it all the time since I star gaze all the time, and am used to seeing it from different angles and perspectives during the year.

It might actually "look" bigger to you, but the Right Ascension and Declination coordinates for each star are the same (meaning they are in the same place in the sky as the last time I looked). If it was bigger, the stars would have different coordinates.

Doesn't mean that our eyes can makes us think something looks bigger. Think about the moon when it's full and close to the horizon, as compared to when it's full and directly overhead. One will always look huge compared to the other, even though it's size hasn't actually changed.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Ya she's where she's supposed to be for September. I'm not arguing that or anything.. Just struck me as overly large tonight.

Just me I guess.

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Astronomical objects that are low on the horizon seem larger because we can see them in relation to familiar objects (like trees & hills).

When you look straight up, you don't really have a 'human sized' frame of reference so impressions of size can be quite arbitrary and subjective.

Also, the curvature of the atmosphere towards the horizon can magnify objects (slightly).

Perhaps this is what is happening?

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Ursa Major does take up a good hunk of sky. Tonight is a bit cloudy. Did manage to catch some of it just now. Seems normal. If you have a little time and money. Get these....

www.sportsmansguide.com...

Lots of space traffic comes out of that part of the night sky. After I bought these, I was blown away by what is there .

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Astronomical objects that are low on the horizon seem larger because we can see them in relation to familiar objects (like trees & hills).

When you look straight up, you don't really have a 'human sized' frame of reference so impressions of size can be quite arbitrary and subjective.

Also, the curvature of the atmosphere towards the horizon can magnify objects (slightly).

Perhaps this is what is happening?

Ya maybe. Like I said before I don't think there is impending doom LOL or anything like that. Just I was sitting there, and thought " she looks pretty big tonight." So I looked over ( my right ) to Virgo and she seemed abit bigger, but not dominantly large like the big dipper seemed.

Never made a post before and I don't know, seemed like a good first post... Hey guys maybe i'm crazy but the big dipper looks huge... LOL.

a reply to: chr0naut

Don't forget that depending on the time it appears. You have atmospheric effect that bends light. Which for example makes the moon look super large. Only to get brighter and smaller as it climbs. The effect works both ways.

a reply to: Bigburgh

I have a crappy telescope I got from a hobby store, I break it out once in awhile on weekends with the kids. But honestly we just look at stuff, I don't map anything or pay much attention. Usually use it for full moons, and the kids want to see it well.

I'll check out your link though !

BigBurgh...

Those look bad ass... I have night vision goggles, but not magnifying night vision.. You just really pissed my wife off on the next bank statement... LOL

originally posted by: Bigburgh
a reply to: chr0naut

Don't forget that depending on the time it appears. You have atmospheric effect that bends light. Which for example makes the moon look super large. Only to get brighter and smaller as it climbs. The effect works both ways.

Cheers, I was editing my post to add the same thing.

Gr8 minds...

a reply to: CrawlingChaos

My link is of night vision goggles. And in all honesty. If you need a telescope. Don't waste your time unless you are prepared to spend a little. I did that. All it did was take a bright dot. And make it brighter with no detail. Eriktheaweful is here. I trust he can get you started.

a reply to: chr0naut

I've seen you post.. your mind is greater

originally posted by: CrawlingChaos

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: CrawlingChaos

Astronomical objects that are low on the horizon seem larger because we can see them in relation to familiar objects (like trees & hills).

When you look straight up, you don't really have a 'human sized' frame of reference so impressions of size can be quite arbitrary and subjective.

Also, the curvature of the atmosphere towards the horizon can magnify objects (slightly).

Perhaps this is what is happening?

Ya maybe. Like I said before I don't think there is impending doom LOL or anything like that. Just I was sitting there, and thought " she looks pretty big tonight." So I looked over ( my right ) to Virgo and she seemed abit bigger, but not dominantly large like the big dipper seemed.

Never made a post before and I don't know, seemed like a good first post... Hey guys maybe i'm crazy but the big dipper looks huge... LOL.

The weird keeps getting worlder and worlder...

Welcome to the fora.

Yes there are good explanations in few posts up there. Also this is the reason why moon appears bigger when it's near the horizon.

Wiki explains this:
en.wikipedia.org...