Orion

Hi all. This may sound completely stupid but it's been bothering me since i saw it. I just got back from Mayo/Sligo/Donegal.

Couldnt see much in general cuz of heavy rain and clouds.

The one night there was a break in the clouds, i was heading from Sligo to Letterkenny. Up ahead of me and to the right i saw Orion (get to the point PJ i hear you scream).

I was on a very dark country road and the land around me in all directions was pretty flat. It took me a couple of minutes to realize that i was looking at Orion because it was 2 times the size (covered twice the sky it normally does as i see it from Dublin). I'm not joking...........the distance between each star was at least twice what it is whenever i have observed Orion before.

Are there any scientific reasons for this? How can it appear twice the size in the W/NW as it does in the East?

I have shovel size hands and even when i held my hand out at arms length..........Orion was still not completely covered.

Even stranger then this is that everything else i saw: Mars,Moon etc etc...........was the same size as i see from Dublin.

What the hell was up with Orion. It was early enough and Orion was just rising.

Well simple answer, you were heading to Donegal, Gods country, you were closer to the heavens, of course Orion's going to be bigger

I knew there had to be a simple explanation.

Not much dark sky in Letterkenny (as it goes.......and the bar in the Clanree is so warm and inviting), but i was in Convoy today and i can only imagine how dark it gets there at night.

You said it was when you were in a flat area. That is probably why Orion looked bigger than you have seen it before. It's always the same size, the stars can't change positions depending on where you are in the country. The reason is just when it is closer to the horizon, it looks bigger, it's an illusion, and you would have seen it probably closer and clearer to to the horizon than in Dublin.

This picture I just did up shows part of Orion placed near the horizon and directly overhead. At first glance, the top looks bigger than the bottom (top is horizon). Both are exactly the same size.

It's always the same size, the stars can't change positions depending on where you are in the country.

I kinda guessed that for myself. LOL.

The reason is just when it is closer to the horizon, it looks bigger, it's an illusion, and you would have seen it probably closer and clearer to to the horizon than in Dublin.

Kinda like when you see the moon rising over the ocean..................or near to the horizon.............looks BIGGER cuz less atmosphere to shine through etc.

Makes perfect sense now. I never knew the same optical illusion applied to stars etc.

Thanks for that.

This has really shown me just how much my view towards the horizon is obscured by trees etc. The beach is only 1.5 miles from me...........but it is also about 100 ft down from me. So when i normally see Orion rising...above the trees....................it is already quite hight above the horizon.

Thanks for that. It really puts my observing position/conditions into perspective.

It's akin to the optical illusion that the Moon is bigger when rising/setting near the horizon than when overhead. Factually, it is the same size, only against the horizon, there are objects (trees, buildings etc) to compare its size to. Scientifically, if it were a tiny bit bigger, it is only from its light refracting through a greater amount of air when viewed closer to the ground.

Incidentally, for you newbies, the Full Moon is about the same size as a €1 coin held out in front of you at arms length. So next time you see it near the horizon, hold out that coin in front of you and watch the Moon disappear. The same will happen when it's overhead.

Seanie.