VISUAL ANGLES (3.1)
BY ANIKA, ANGELA, DUY, HANNAH, LYDIA AND
VALCIA
INTRODUCTION
• Visual Angle can be defined as the angle subtended by
an object at the retina.
• An important aspect of any stimulus is the size of the
stimulus.
• There is a crucial distinction to be made between the
size of an object in the world and the size of the same
object projected on the retina.
• Object Size in the world is measured in millimeters,
inches, miles etc.
• Retinal size is measured in degrees of VISUAL ANGLE.
• Visual Angle incorporates both the size of the object
and its distance from the observer.
WHAT IS THE VISUAL ANGLE?
• Visual Angle ≈
𝑶𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑺𝒊𝒛𝒆
𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒃𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕
• Visual angle is measured in
degrees
• 360° represents the entire
circumference of the
eyeball
• Problem?
• Visible area is at the back
of the eye (the part of the
world we can see) ≈ 180°
THE SUN AND MOON
Moon: Visual angle = 0.5
degrees
Sun: Visual angle = also 0.5
degrees!
• Even though the sun is farther away, it’s diameter is larger, which
compensates for the extra distance.
• Because the visual angles are the same, that’s why we can still see a
ring of sun behind the moon during a solar eclipse.
VISUAL ANGLE CALCULATOR
• Visual Angel= Object size/ Distance
• For example, to calculate the visual angel when we
look at the moon. We have moon’s diameter/
Distance = 3,500/ 380,000= 0.5
• Or How to calculate a size of an object when we
have eye visual angel is 5 degrees and the distance
is 50 cm. we have the size is 4.4
THE VISUAL ANGLE ILLUSION
Illusion that depicts the visual angle
WHY DOES THE CIRCLE CHANGE SIZES?
The distance changes the visual angle doesn’t
Visual Angle = Object Size/ Distance
• Distance (from computer)= 70cm
• Visual Angle = 2°
• Object Size = 2.5 cm
•
•
•
•
Distance (from paper) = 15 cm
Visual Angle = 2°
Object Size = .5 cm
Who cares?
REFERENCES
• http://sites.sinauer.com/wolfe3e/chap3/visangleF.htm
• Wolfe, J., Kluender, K., Levi, D., et al. (2012). Sensation &
perception. (3rd ed.). Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates, Inc.