text: when driving around at night, why is it that the moon can seem to be extremely large, but once you go a short? .....but when you turn a corner or go over a hill, it is back to normal size? the closest the moon (or the sun) are to the horizon the bigger it will look. it's an optical illusion. in fact, if you make a small circle (just large enough to accomodate the moon) with your thumb and pointer and isolate the horizon moon from the landscape, the moon will automatically look its normal size.