Can anyone explain the principle that results in a distant object being perceived as larger when viewed from an elevated position? eg: I notice when viewing a Shipping Vessel from the shoreline it appears significantly smaller than when viewed from an elevated position of approx 30 meters & 1/2 mile inland from the shoreline; I have also noted the phenomenon for an island 12 miles from shore - 20 miles inland and significantly elevated from sea level the island appears much larger than when viewed from the shoreline.
19
-
2$\begingroup$ Because when you’re higher up you can see more of it. It takes up a greater % of your “ sphere of vision” if you like. $\endgroup$– Adam RubinsonSep 18, 2020 at 8:25
-
$\begingroup$ I have no idea if this is a similar effect, but the moon looks larger when it is close to the horizon. See Moon illusion $\endgroup$– WinstonSep 18, 2020 at 8:26
-
$\begingroup$ @Adam Rubinson: is this your intuition or are there actual psychology studies demonstrating this effect? $\endgroup$– WinstonSep 18, 2020 at 8:28
-
$\begingroup$ @Exocytosis The moon effect is also a consequence of the fact that it appears next to other objects (trees, houses, etc.) with which you can compare it. In the middle of the sky there is nothing else and hence it appears smaller. $\endgroup$– NDewolfSep 18, 2020 at 8:28
-
1$\begingroup$ Psychology? It’s mathematics. How large something appears in your field of vision depends on how much of your field of vision it takes up, which depends on the size of the outline of the object (i.e. “how much you can see of it”) and how far away you are from it. So for OP’s first example, this will depend on a) how far away the ship was to begin with and b) the shape of the ship. $\endgroup$– Adam RubinsonSep 18, 2020 at 8:31
|
Show 14 more comments
1 Answer
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
My first guess had nothing to do with physics but psychology. I think you could have a slight vertigo raising your arousal when you are elevated and this would make things look bigger. Like a living lion looks bigger than a cow when you walk past it. Also the vertigo would be amplified by the lack of clear localisation of objects floating in large body of water. This uncertainty adds to the anxiety and has a magnifying effect, purely mental.
