Moon Tilt Illusion

The Moon Tilt Illusion is a phenomenon in which the lit portion of the Moon is seen to point away from the Sun, the phenomenon being most noticeable and extreme for phases between Half Moon and Full Moon and between the Moons rise and zenith. The Moon Tilt Illusion even occurs after the Sun has set below the horizon, with the Moon pointing upwards and away from the Earth.

The cause for this is often attributed to 'perspective'. However, this explanation exists without geometric models which explain how this can occur in the Sun-Earth-Moon system of astronomy. References to close range perspective effects are made, where angles seem to change and warp, but a geometric explanation for the Round Earth system with distant bodies which remain the same distance from the observer at all times is unavailable. Others speculate on a 'celestial sphere' which the celestial bodies glide upon, and upon which straight lines become curved. The explanation is, in contrast, incompatible with the Sun-Earth-Moon system of astronomy in 3D space: There is not a sphere above the Earth where straight lines become curved.

The phenomenon of the Moon Tilt Illusion is unable to be modeled or described with the systems proposed by modern astronomy. If the system is true, then the phenomenon should be capable of being modeled with its properties. Instead, we are given a whirlwind of analogies and 'explanations' separate from, and incompatible with, the Round Earth Theory.

=Description=

(Source)

Professor Myers at the University of Pennsylvania provides the following description:

http://www.upenn.edu/emeritus/essays/MyersMoon.html (Archive)



Moon Tilt Observational Diagram
In a related paper from the same author titled The Moon Tilt Illusion (Archive), Professor Myers provides the following diagram of the observed tilt of the Moon and its displacement from the expected angle:



Altitude is the elevation of the moon in the sky. Azimuth is the degrees clockwise from North. The diagram shows phases from full to new. At times the Moon is pointing towards the Sun, and at other times the Moon is pointing away from it. When opposite from the Sun, the Moon's tilt can be wildly displaced from its expected position.

Lunar Phases at Sunset
Another depiction of the various orientations of the Moon in relation to the Sun at the time of sunset for waxing phases in the North may be found below:



(Source)

Other Versions


 * Waning Phases at Sunrise

Sun and Moon Anomaly
From a Stack Exchange post on the Moon Tilt Illusion we read:





A Different Moon Illusion
Another observation is given here:

http://www.astropix.com/html/l_story/moonill.html (Archive)



=Explanations=

Perspective Explanations
An explanation of the Moon Tilt Illusion is given in the form of a perspective effect. It is possible to get very close to an object and make it appear to change angle and point upwards, downwards, or to the side. It is claimed that this is occurring with the Moon.

A VSauce video titled The Moon Terminator Illusion (Runtime:11m) explains the Moon Tilt Illusion via a perspective effect:



In the above demonstration VSauce references a close range perspective effect to show that orientation of bodies and images can change to perspective. However, that same effect is not going to occur with the same motions of the camera if the screen is distant from the observer. If the laptop screen were far away the the camera would need to move of greater proportions. The same movement would not create the same effect.

Another version of the perspective argument is given here:



The Moon is pointing downward at the Sun at the horizon. Moving the camera close to the Moon, the Moon appears to point upwards.

In contrast to this argument, under the Round Earth Theory both the Sun and the Moon are far away from the observer and are at the same distance from the observer at all times. They do not change distances radically from the observer, as the camera changes in relation to the Moon in the above animation in order to cause a large perspective effect. As an example; a pencil 10,000 feet away from the observer will not be subject to close range perspective as easily as a pencil held an arms length away. The available explanations are extraneous to the systems in the Round Earth Theory.

Difference in Position Diagram
According to the RET over the course of a day the changing of distance to the Moon is negligible. The Moon maintains its distance from the center of the Earth at all times slowly rotating around it. The Earth in turn rotates at a faster rate in relation to the Moon. An observer on the surface of the Earth at either side of the Equator will observe a change in the position of the Moon by less than 2 degrees due to positional changes alone, as demonstrated in the below illustration:



In the above diagram the outer orange circle is the distance between the Earth to the Moon turned into a circle. Divided by 360 degrees gives the number of degrees per mile, which is used to find the displacement in degrees between the extremes of either side of the Earth.

Looking at the Sun as compared to the Earth's Diameter or the Moon's Orbit Diameter with a similar methodology we also find negligible differences in angle displacement:


 * Earth Diameter: 7917.5 mi


 * Diameter of Moon Orbit: 238,900 (Dist to Moon) x 2 = 477,800 mi


 * Distance from Earth to Sun: 92,900,000 mi


 * Circumference of Earth to Sun Radius: 2 * pi * 92,900,000 = 583,707,915.037 mi


 * 583,707,915.037 / 360 degrees = 1621410.8751 mi per degree


 * 477,800 mi (Moon Orbit Diameter) / 1621410.8751 = 0.29468 Degrees Max


 * 7917.5 (Earth Diameter) / 1621410.8751 = 0.00488 Degrees Max

One must wonder where all of the perspective changes for the Moon Tilt Illusion are coming from. It is certainly not from the geometry of the Sun-Earth-Moon system.

The argument that perspective can cause drastic changes to the positioning of the Moon is hence questionable. The examples given with toys at close range are of little relation to the systems proposed by astronomy. At close ranges the distances between positions change radically between positions to cause the perspective effect, whereas in the Round Earth system the distances hardly change at all.

Consider that if you have a ball suspended 12 inches from your eyes and walk ten inches around it then there will be a greater change of angle than if the ball were suspended at 10,000 feet from your eyes and you walked ten inches around it. Using the discussed method with the close ball example we find:


 * 2 * pi * 12 inches = 75.398 inches circumference


 * 75.398 / 360 degrees = 0.209 inches per degree


 * 10 inches / 0.209 inches per degree = 47.846 degrees

At the closer ranges will the ball shift unnaturally to perspective. At greater distances the ball will not shift by appreciable amounts. At greater distances if there is a marker on a ball, such as a light source which is shining on the ball and illuminating half of it, it will not shift enough for perspective to create much modification in orientation. Hence we see from all of the above that proper geometric explanation for the Round Earth system is unavailable. The Moon is unable to change distances in relation to the observer to cause much of a perspective effect.

Hallway Perspective
Another perspective example is given in the way of standing in the middle of a hallway. In The Moon Tilt Illusion (Archive) we read a description:



The above scenario involves standing in the middle of a long hallway, and observing that the ceiling above you is horizontally parallel and that the the angles of the ceiling at either end are tilted to perspective. The movement of the Moon is just like traveling down or up the length of the ceiling of a hallway, and will change to perspective like the angled corners of the ceiling at either ends. At one end of the hallway the Moon is angled upwards in one direction, when it is over you it will be horizontal, and then when it is down on the other end it will be angled downwards.

However, example involves a celestial body that is close to the earth, radically changing distance to the observer in relation to their distance above the Earth. Under the Round Earth model the Sun and Moon are essentially the same distance from the observer at all times, and so will not change much to perspective. In contrast to the Round Earth model, the edges of the hallway ceiling in the example are not the same distance from the observer at all points. The points along the edge of the hallway ceiling change in distance to the observer. We see again that the argument made is specious and unrelated to what is claimed by the Round Earth Theory's astronomical model.

Ball Experiment
Another attempt at showing that the matter may be caused by perspective takes the form of a ball experiment performed with the Moon in the background. Since it is possible to use a close range perspective effect with a ball in the near field to get it to point in a variety of different directions, it is concluded that this what must be happening with the Moon.

In a MetaBunk thread Mick West views a Moon Tilt Illusion and performs the following: (Archive)



The red arrows in the image above depicts the directions of light for the bodies in question, as seen from a far vantage point. The Moon (top red arrow) is unexpectedly pointing above from the Sun while the ball on a post (bottom red arrow) is pointing towards the Sun, as would be expected. It is expected that bodies illuminated by the sun would point towards it.

Mr. West then approaches the ball and angles the camera close and right up to a ball on a post to get it to point away from the Sun like the Moon does:



Mr. West concluded that this is what must be happening with the Moon.

The author uses a close-range perspective effect to match the Moon. There is little doubt that holding something very near to one's face or camera can create lots of angles. At the far distance the ball points at the Sun. It is not until the observer gets up close to the ball, to a special carefully selected position beneath it, that the ball is able to point away from the sun, in a similar direction as the Moon.

The fallacy in this example is that under RET the Moon is not a small ball very close to the observer. A false analogy. In RET the Moon is far from the observer and maintains its distance from the Sun at all times -- it is not subject to close range perspective effects. The Moon does not radically change its distance from the observer at any time. Perspective affects orientation less and less with greater distances.

We again see repetitions of the fallacies above, and a failure to provide a proper geometric explanation for the Moon Tilt Illusion.

Celestial Sphere
Another explanation for the Moon Tilt Illusion involves a "Celestial Sphere" in the sky, upon which straight lines become curved.

In the paper The Moon Tilt Illusion (Archive) by Adrea and Alan Myers, the following is stated:

We are told that straight lines become curved when looking into the sky because of the "celestial sphere" which exists above our heads.

3D Model Example
A demonstration against this concept may be found in any 3D modeling program. Create a long straight line and place the camera at various positions and distances from it. At what point does the straight line become curved? The answer we have found is: At no point. A straight line in the distance will always be straight.

Alternatively, if the line were a green cone pointing at an yellow ball, the green cone would always point at the yellow ball.







In the above we took a picture of a 3D scene in various positions. At all positions the arrow always pointed at the ball. With greater and greater distances, the cone will always point at the ball. One must wonder, why does the arrow always point at the ball? The assertion that arrows would not point at the things they are pointing at also implies that if you took a picture of any line in 3D space, that it would appear curved on the picture.

On this topic we receive arguments such as "What you are failing to consider is that the night sky is not a euclidean space; it's a curved surface." But just what is being described? In RET the space above and around it is not a "curved surface". It's not a surface at all. What reason is there to think that we would see it as a surface around us where straight lines become curves? This can only be seen as wild imagination from a desperate position.

Hence, the concept of a celestial sphere is seen to be a contrived concept bearing no relation to the 3D space which the Sun-Earth-Moon systems of astronomy are said to exist in. As there is no sphere around the Earth in RET upon which straight lines may become curved, it is again found that a geometric explanation for the Moon Tilt Illusion is unavailable. Astronomers disagree among themselves on the cause, with some speculating on a planetarium-like celestial sphere which does not exist in the physical Sun-Earth-Moon system.

Celestial Sphere Project
We are given a Moon Tilt Illusion scene cut into a 'Celestial Sphere' to give a better idea on "how things work in 3D space." Straight lines become curved on the celestial sphere.



(Source Images)

Unfortunately, this example comes with a fictitious premise. The sky is not a sphere which the sun and moon and lines of light rays rest against to cause artificial curvature. Straight lines will be straight in the sky above us, not 'curved on a celestial sphere'.

If the Sun and Moon can be connected in such a manner, it merely provides a small clue for the underlying mechanism, and does not imply that there is a "celestial sphere" above the Earth where "straight lines become curved". Such a mechanism is entirely unexplained and nonphysical in the Round Earth Theory.

String Experiment
Along the same lines as the above, we are given reference to "string experiments" in which the Moon is connected to the sun with a string.



The concept is questionable at a glance, as string can easily be connected to many objects on the opposite distance with slight adjustment. However, even if this is the case and the direction of the Moon's phase can be connected to the Sun, this does nothing to show a mechanism for what is occurring in the sky above. The observer has merely connected the direction of the Moon's phase and the Sun in a two dimensional manner artificially, while the Moon continues to point upwards and away from the Sun to all observers.



While this connection may be a clue if the experiment is true and perfect alignment was achieved, the mechanism for this occurrence continues to be ambiguous, mysterious, and nonphysical. The Moon and the curvature of the light may act as if it is on a dome of some sort, with straight line paths becoming curved on a dome surface, yet a dome of that nature is contrary to the theory of what exists above us in RET. A 'Celestial Sphere' lacks a physical explanation.

Curving Lines on Celestial Sphere
It is claimed that lines curve on a Celestial Sphere, and it is insisted that we merely need to "do the string experiment" to see that the paths connect. The claim that lines curve on the Celestial Sphere above us is as to claim that if we shine a laser into space that we will see it wrap around the dome and hit the opposite horizon.



If Dexter fires his laser beam into the sky and into space, will we see it 'wrap around' the Celestial Sphere and hit the opposite horizon? We are obliged to answer in the negative. The laser beam will not wrap around to the opposite horizon. Hence, we again see that the mechanism of a 'Celestial Sphere' is nonphysical and unexplained.

At amazingsky.com we find the following (Archive):



Caption: "The MSM’s bright laser pointer is useful for aiming the tracker at the North Celestial Pole, located about a degree away from Polaris in the direction of Alkaid, the end star in the Handle of the Big Dipper or Plough."

If the laser could continue forever into the distance, would it curve around on the Celestial Sphere and hit the horizon?

=Equation of Prediction=

In The Moon Tilt Illusion (Archive) Professor Myers provides an equation which can be used to predict the Moon's Tilt in the Moon Tilt Illusion. Some have attempted to reference this equation as a piece of evidence that the Moon Tilt can be explained under the Round Earth Theory. Assessing the scheme of the model used, however, shows that it is not a Round Earth model. The equation and model is for predictive purposes and has no bearing to a RET.

Viewing Plane
In Professor Myers' model the distant Moon and Sun are projected onto a "viewing plane" near the observer. Figure 7 on p.8 shows a diagram of this model:



In the above caption it is stated of the Moon and Sun that the "image is on the viewing plane". Is there a viewing plane above our heads in RET where bodies are projected upon? As we are not taught that there is a "viewing plane" close above our heads where the celestial bodies are projected, we are again obliged to answer in the negative.

Why is a "viewing plane" necessary? We see that the model is unrelated to the systems which are said to be in place.

Distance to Sun and Moon Not Used
On p.9 we see statements that the distances to the Sun and Moon are not used and is avoided.