Clouds and sky in Oz

[Cloud Girl]

Why does the sky look bigger in Australia than it does in England? It looks like it goes further up and further out (across). Even the clouds look as though they're on a bigger scale.

It's bizarre - I can't figure out why! I considered if it's cos England's usually go building blocking some of the view, but I've tried looking out over flat fields and get the same feeling.

Wot's goin on?!

[Panic Button]

I once heard Billy Connolly, who now lives in California, say he took his kids back to Glasgow. Apparently one of the boys looked up and said
"Dad, why is the sky so low?"

[Doc Spock]

Very good question but don't know why . I know that Montana and Wyoming are called the big sky country.

[jno]

I think the darkness of the blue in the sky may have something to do with it, and a contrast with white clouds may increase the effect. British skies tend to be hazy and lighter blue - shen you're on the coast you seldom see the horizon, the sky just merges into the sea. The result is you feel you aren't looking very far. This is just a guess, but I've noticed the same effect.

[reinganum]

The "biggest skies" in the UK are probably to be found in the Fens. Any ABers from that part of the world care to offer an opinion?

[heathfield]

I've often observed this in the tropics. My conclusion was that the sky is bigger there! If you think of the curvature of the earth from east to west, its bigger on the equator than it is in the UK. So the sky is less curved, it's therefore flatter, so you see more of it. Just my impression.