Horizon

Q: You recently wrote that the moon appears larger on the horizon because of perceptions created by its apparent proximity to buildings and other objects. You are wrong. A: I Didn't Know That got a lot of letters like that. Most contended that the correct theory is that the elevation of objects higher in the sky makes them appear smaller. Fortunately, a father-son team from IBM and New York University has come to the rescue. Lloyd and James H.

Roger Warner, in his review of Laurence Pi's "Beyond the Horizon: Five Years With the Khmer Rouge" (Book Review, June 25) misses the obvious. To deny that Pi's memoir constitutes a condemnation of the Khmer Rouge is to fall victim to the very failing he attributes to her--namely, denial of an evident reality as described in painful personal detail. Her conclusion was affirmed not merely by words but by risking her life to escape. The most persuasive arguments are those rooted in experience.

A Marine Corps pilot may have mistaken a line formed by white rock and buildings for the horizon when he flew his jet into the cable of an Italian ski gondola, killing 20 people, a defense witness testified Thursday. Navy Cmdr. Fred Patterson, an expert on visual phenomena, said Capt. Richard Ashby's misreading of the terrain could have made him think he was flying higher than he was.

As a European woman living in America now, I was appalled by the way menopause is treated here by the medical male club. The menopause for me has been so far the best time of my life, with complete freedom of my biologic function. As Germaine Greer said in her book ("The Change," Oct. 18), now I'm climbing my own mountain in search of my own horizon, after years of devoting my life to others, with no thanks from the male society for the female contribution. FANNIE DYNOWICZ, BEVERLY HILLS

Re "Residents Keep Lobbying for Park," Nov. 3. Good luck. When we purchased our home on Richardson, just north of a very large vacant piece of land in 1989, we were assured by our real estate broker that the lot could never be used for anything other than a park or a new school. Wrong! Today the entire horizon of the lot at Bennett and Sinaloa has been blocked off, all the trees removed and a five-foot wall is being readied for 25 or so homes. So much for promises. GEORGE PEGG, Simi Valley

As the sun sets in the west Saturday, the biggest, brightest moon in about 20 years will begin peeking over the eastern horizon. The so-called "supermoon" will appear about 14% bigger and 30% brighter than normal, according to NASA. Because the moon's orbit is oval, there is a point where it is the closest to the Earth, known as its perigee. The farthest point is its apogee. On Saturday, the moon's closest perigee of the year happens to occur within one hour of the monthly astronomical phase of the full moon, which together will create the rarely seen spectacle of illumination and size, said Geoff Chester, an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington.

Conrad's cartoon (Dec. 12) is an insult to the people of the Soviet republics. He appears to imply that the conditions he outlines are as bad in the United States as they are in the former Soviet Union. There is no condition listed where the situation for Americans even closely approaches the dire situation found in the republics. For Americans, the question is "Where do I go to get help?" because help is available. There is no question that food is obtainable, that shelter is available, that welfare payments are available, that jobs, while not immediately available for all who wish to work, are expected to be so within a future, the horizon for which is at least a glimmer, and that unemployment checks are available to those who qualify.

The light on the answering machine was blinking when we arrived home from our daughter's graduation party. The message was from the PTSA president elect. After giving me the information I needed, she chuckled and said, "I'll bet tomorrow you'll be soaking your feet with cucumber slices on your eyeballs. Congratulations for launching the last one onto the horizon!" That's when it hit me. Then the emotions, reminiscing and gratitude took over. Gratitude, first, to my three children for hanging in there, plugging away and even putting up with some difficult (to be diplomatic)