Science is Cool: Get Ready to Get Mooned!

I still can't wrap my brain entirely around the whole moon illusion. I know that it's true, but I still don't really get it. When the moon is at the horizon, you know how sometimes it looks enormous? And then after it rises to its zenith, it looks teeny-tiny? In reality it is more or less the same size in both places, and we're just seeing an illusion. Why this illusion remains true if you block other items in your field of vision with your hands, framing the moon with your fingers is what I don't get. Anyway, there are some variations in the moon's size, and today is the day it is at its biggest in 20 years. So remember to look to the east tonight, and blow your mind!

Image from source, Raw Story

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“Super moon” to brighten the skies on Saturday

When the full moon rises on Saturday night, it will be bigger and brighter than at any time for almost 20 years -- and that is setting off alarm bells for those who make it their business to warn of impending doom. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Science is Cool: Rogue Black Holes Roaming Galaxy

Image from source, Raw Story

Yeah, they say these black holes don't pose any danger to Earth, but since when do they ever tell us the truth? I say forget your New Year's resolutions, put on a pair of sweats and a comfy old T-shirt, order a pizza and get the tub of ice cream out of the freezer. 'Cause I don't think if these black holes roam to our solar system that they'll be bringing any of those cute Disney robots. . . Heh.

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Milky Way could hold hundred of rogue black holes: study

Hundreds of rogue black holes may be roaming around the Milky Way waiting to engulf stars and planets that cross their path, US astronomers said Wednesday.

The astronomers believe these "intermediate mass" black holes are invisible except in rare circumstances and have been spawned by mergers of black holes within globular clusters -- swarms of stars held together by their mutual gravity. . .

Read more at: Raw Story