Why does the earth look so small in pictures taken from the moon, but the moon looks so big to us while on earth?

Question

It seems like all of the pictures taken from the moon show earth as relatively small compared to how the moon looks to me while viewing it most nights.

In: Planetary Science

Answer 1

You might want to provide some examples of what you’re talking about. Earth appears about four times larger from the surface of the Moon than vice versa.

Photos taken on the surface of the Moon, or on Earth, are typically focused on something nearby, like an astronaut or rover or sasquatch. Things in the sky are not in focus and not the subject of the picture. Go outside and take a picture of the Moon with your phone…it will look *tiny* on the screen.