I Are there hidden phenomena under the moon that only the naked eye can see?

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The discussion centers on a peculiar visual phenomenon observed by some individuals when looking at the moon with the naked eye, describing it as the moon appearing to "roll" or exhibit aberrations that are not visible through telescopes. Participants express skepticism about the phenomenon, suggesting it may be an optical illusion or shadow effect created by the observer's thumb. There is a call for clearer descriptions and possibly drawings to better communicate the experience, as the current explanations are vague and confusing. Some contributors suggest that atmospheric conditions could be influencing the perception of the moon. The thread concludes with a request for more detailed explanations to facilitate further discussion.
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When I look up at the moon at night, I see something peculiar. It looks as if the moon is rolling on something for which I will not say. When I put my thumb to it, I can really get the image to open up. The phenomena is not apparent at all when viewed with aide of telescoping lens. Only bare eye.

My family think I'm bipolar & worry about me seeing things that aren't there. I have discussed this phenomena with my dearest siblings & they notice the same, so I have a hard time believing I'm hallucinating...
 
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INTP_ty said:
When I look up at the moon at night, I see something peculiar. It looks as if the moon is rolling on something for which I will not say. When I put my thumb to it, I can really get the image to open up.

I'm sorry but I don't know what this means. Can you elaborate?
 
Drakkith said:
I'm sorry but I don't know what this means. Can you elaborate?

Can I have you take a long walk tonight? Away from the city lights when the moon is high in the sky? When you look at it, the moon that is, focus your attention at the bottom, where the planet meets the sky. Please make note of any phenomena you may see. Return here & I will satisfy your question.As far as the thumb thing, I do not know what that is called or whether or not it's called anything at all. I often see painters do it. Perhaps to get a better look at the piece they're working on. Extend your arm out before yourself, place your thumb up [closed fist], & then close one eye. Now gauge your piece. There.

Are there any artists on this board that can help me out?& when I perform that motion (with tip of thumb right under the moon), eye level, the phenomena which I see is amplified. Also, I tried this with a longer body -a meter stick, but was unable to duplicate the results. For some strange reason, it only works with my human arm. I will stop there.
 
INTP_ty said:
When you look at it, the moon that is, focus your attention at the bottom, where the planet meets the sky.

I'm sorry but I still don't know what you're talking about. There is no "bottom" unless you provide a reference direction. And I've seen the Moon plenty of times before. I've never noticed anything peculiar about it other than some well known optical phenomena. What does "rolling on something" mean?

INTP_ty said:
As far as the thumb thing, I do not know what that is called or whether or not it's called anything at all. I often see painters do it. Perhaps to get a better look at the piece they're working on. Extend your arm out before yourself, place your thumb up [closed fist], & then close one eye. Now gauge your piece. There.

Yes, you can gauge the size and spacing of objects relative to your thumb, which helps in painting and drawing. So, when you put your thumb over the Moon, something happens?
 
INTP_ty said:
When I look up at the moon at night, I see something peculiar. It looks as if the moon is rolling on something for which I will not say. When I put my thumb to it, I can really get the image to open up.
I also don't know what you mean. When you say "rolling", do you mean rotating?
Can I have you take a long walk tonight? Away from the city lights when the moon is high in the sky?
I live away from city lights and spent several hours last night looking at the moon with my eyes, a long-lens camera and a telescope. But it is summer, so the moon doesn't get very high in the sky. However, when it is low, the atmosphere "rolls", like waves on water, as if you were looking up at it from being underwater.
 
Landscape painters do use a thumb trick to assess the apparent size of objects, it helps with perspective.
It has nothing to do with the Moon though.
 
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Drakkith said:
I'm sorry but I still don't know what you're talking about. There is no "bottom" unless you provide a reference direction. And I've seen the Moon plenty of times before. I've never noticed anything peculiar about it other than some well known optical phenomena. What does "rolling on something" mean?Yes, you can gauge the size and spacing of objects relative to your thumb, which helps in painting and drawing. So, when you put your thumb over the Moon, something happens?

I am not sure of any other way to tell you. Go outside, look at the moon. I see top & bottom. Two points.

You must not put your thumb over the moon. You creep it up from the below & right before it reaches the bottom of the moon, hold it there & watch the "aberration" unfold before you face.
 
I think you may be seeing just a shadow cast by your thumb.
Try moving your thumb from the left and top, instead of bottom and right.
you should see a similar distortion of light, but in a different place.
 
  • #10
rootone said:
I think you may be seeing just a shadow cast by your thumb.
Try moving your thumb from the left and top, instead of bottom and right.
you should see a similar distortion of light, but in a different place.

I can see the phenomena without the aide of my thumb. Also, if I tilt my head (left & right), the aberration follows round. And I will try motioning different things when the opportunity presents itself. It is cloudy tonight.

Again, the bottom right is where I can really open it up. It looks as if I'm looking through/down a valley with mountainous edges. Maybe a series of sundials, I don't know.
 
  • #11
I have no idea what you're seeing, but it's nothing like any optical phenomenon I've ever heard of or seen.
 
  • #12
INTP_ty said:
I am not sure of any other way to tell you

You should work on this then. "Please explain this thing I can't describe" is a hard question to answer.
 
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  • #13
Vanadium 50 said:
You should work on this then. "Please explain this thing I can't describe" is a hard question to answer.

Agreed. @INTP_ty, you say your siblings see what you see; maybe you could ask one of them to describe it in words & then post that description. As for your own descriptions, I suggest not using metaphor and not being quite so terse nor so deliberately mysterious.
 
  • #14
I think even a quick drawing would be helpful. We've now heard "rolling", "points above and below the moon", it is very difficult for an outsider to form a coherent idea of what you are actually seeing.
 
  • #15
INTP_ty said:
You creep it up from the below & right before it reaches the bottom of the moon, hold it there & watch the "aberration" unfold before you face.
Sounds like diffraction to me. But, like everyone else, I'm just guessing.
 
  • #16
Thread locked.

INTP, if you can provide a better explanation or something please feel free to send me a private message and we can talk about reopening this thread.
 
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