Grades K–2 · Organisms
Why can a faraway mountain seem to follow the car?
From a moving car, a nearby fence can seem to rush past. A faraway mountain may stay in almost the same part of the window. It can feel as if the mountain is coming along.
In the diagramNear objects shift more as your viewpoint changesViewpoint 1Viewpoint 2Two invented window views: a nearby tree shifts more than a distant mountain.
The mountain does not need to move. As your place changes, the direction from you to the nearby fence changes a lot. The direction to the faraway mountain changes much less.
Your moving viewpoint makes the two objects seem to move differently. This difference gives a clue about distance. The quick-looking fence is near, while the slow-looking mountain is far away.
About this explanation
Starting knowledge: Understand near and far and know that a passenger’s viewing position changes as a car moves.
Sources
- NASA — Hubble Glossary: Parallax