

Watch bigger brighter moon tonight: moon at its closest to earth since 1993 - jyothi
http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20081212/981/tsc-watch-the-brightest-full-moon-of-200_1.html

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pivo
On my way into work this morning I noticed that the tide was about two feet
higher than normal high tide in the channel near Rowes Wharf in Boston. Some
navigation lights on piers were even underwater. I was wondering what the heck
was going on, now I know.

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pg
How much closer is it than the closest point last year?

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brett
Looks like a bit under 200km

<http://www.fourmilab.ch/earthview/pacalc.html>

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ntoshev
~0.05% closer.

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pg
I suspected as much. So the headline "Moon closest since 1993" becomes "Moon
.05% closer than last year." This example explains a lot of what's wrong with
the press. Their problems are deeper than a broken business model.

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bd
I'm afraid it's a fundamental problem, not related just to press per se.

Titles fight for attention, the most spectacular/salient ones win. Even here
on HN, with much more sophisticated readers than general press/web have.

This is Red Queen effect:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_queen>

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Shamiq
Surprise that special someone and take them out to see this.

You don't have to him/her them why the moon seems brighter and larger...

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reggplant
It was a fantastic sight last night, made me go out for a walk it was so
perfect.

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uuilly
Wow, I was surfing last night and thought that it was the best sunset /
moonrise I'd seen in years. Not surprising that there was an explanation.

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bporterfield
Where were you surfing?

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uuilly
SF, CA. Ocean Beach, Sloat St. Email in profile if you ever want to go...

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bporterfield
Nice, I'm in Santa Cruz but scored pretty decent OB the other day
(<http://www.flickr.com/photos/bporterfield/3087430163/>)

Interestingly enough I was planning on emailing your company already! Don't
see an email in the profile but you can reach me @ benporterfield on gmail.
I'll try to send a mail to the contact us page and maybe I'll reach you - we
should go surf!

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uuilly
Right on, just emailed you...

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tlrobinson
For the first time in weeks (months?) it's cloudy and rainy in the valley :(

At least it was clear out last night.

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btw0
I am in Shanghai UTC+8, I've noticed the moon was bigger than ever before I
read this on HN. It's so beautiful.

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geuis
Was just telling my coworker about this and we talked about the optical
illusion of how the moon looks bigger on the horizon than straight overhead. I
always thought it was because the atmosphere acts like a lens, but it turns
out I was wrong. Its just all in our brains. Interesting reference link to the
phenomenon
[http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/top5_myths_020903-2.ht...](http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/top5_myths_020903-2.html)

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seertaak
[Please, if you're easily offended, don't read further.]

Cool. I've got a date tonight, so I'm going to take my chica out onto my
balcony and enjoy a few romantic minutes. Then I'll bonk her.

Who says being a geek isn't useful sometimes? -- thank you hacker news! ;)

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tdavis
I kept reading because I'm not easily offended. Then the words "chica" and
"bonk" offended me. Even out of context. Sorry :(

