Best Time to View Super Moon Feb 19 - Los Angeles

[mikeryan85]

According to the inter webs, the Super Moon will peak at 7:54am PST tomorrow morning (Tuesday the 19th).

I am trying to figure out if the best time to view would be:
1.
Tomorrow morning (Tuesday).
Moonset is 6:46:am.  I am told super moons look most effective when on the horizon.  It will be setting over the pacific ocean at that time.  Sunrise is at 6:33am.  This is the best combo of when the moon is on the horizon and the super moon is peaking.  There will be some daylight obviously at that time as the sun will be rising though.  

OR
2.
Tomorrow evening (Tuesday)
Moonrise is 6:02pm.  Sunset is 5:40pm.  So it will be a little darker at this time as opposed to option 1.

Also why does the moon appear largest when it is on the horizon if it's the same distance as when directly above?  Is there a difference between moonrise and moonset?  Is there a difference between it rising over the city or setting over the ocean?

Looking for advice on when the most epic time to view would be.  Thank you!

-Mike

[cletrac1922]

Mike

Super moon is just after sunset where I am

If you have an Android phone or tablet

Download APP Lunar Phase

I use all the time when booking viewing appointments with scout/guide groups, as to do presentation around quarter moon

Night before last, was trying to view Comet Iwanano, adjacent to the twins in Gemini, and almost full moon adjacent to Gemini, killed everything

Happy viewing

 

John

[Demonperformer]

Hi, Mike, and welcome to SGL.

Unless you are very lucky, the answer is which ever has clear skies.

1 hour ago, mikeryan85 said:

Also why does the moon appear largest when it is on the horizon if it's the same distance as when directly above?

It is an illusion.

Enjoy the journey.

[Paz]

5 hours ago, mikeryan85 said:

 

Also why does the moon appear largest when it is on the horizon if it's the same distance as when directly above?  Is there a difference between moonrise and moonset?  Is there a difference between it rising over the city or setting over the ocean?

Looking for advice on when the most epic time to view would be.  Thank you!

-Mike

One theory is that psychologically we think the sky is a flattened dome and so anything straight up we think is closer than anything near the horizon, so our brains then judge straight up objects to be smaller for any given apparent size.

Regarding the best time to look at the moon, darker skies are better as there's less washout from sunlight, nighttime is better as the air is usually more still, and the moon being higher in the sky is better so there's less atmosphere in the way.

[cletrac1922]

Mike

The reason the moon appears larger when on the horizon, is that looking at it through a thicker atmosphere, due to the curvature of the earth 

Hope of assistance

John

[John]

1 hour ago, cletrac1922 said:

Mike

The reason the moon appears larger when on the horizon, is that looking at it through a thicker atmosphere, due to the curvature of the earth 

Hope of assistance

John

Although it's actual apparent size in the sky is the same at the horizon as it is when it's higher in the sky.