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If you’ve watched cartoons, you’ve probably viewed a scene where a thirsty traveler crawled through a desert, only to see a beautiful oasis appear before them. They dove for the water, only to land face-first in the sand. Once again, a cartoon character was tricked by a mirage. Mirages are real-life phenomena, but what exactly are they?
Mirages are optical illusions in which light rays bend though air layers of different density, creating the appearance of a displaced object in the distance. Cool air is denser than hot air, so when these layers are stacked on top of each other, the temperature changes refract light and create mirages.
Mirages can fall into one of several categories. Inferior mirages are when the mirage is located under the real object. The cartoon oasis mentioned above is an exaggerated version of an inferior mirage. What actually happens is the air near the surface of the sand or road is much hotter than the air in the sky, so the light reflected downward bends when it hits the hot air, refracting it so it appears to originate below the ground. So, people in the desert who think they see a body of water in the distance are actually looking at the sky.
A superior mirage is an inversion of an inferior mirage: the air near the ground is colder than the air above it. These are common on bodies of water and in cold, snowy climates. Therefore, instead of seeing objects below where they actually are, such as with the example of the “oasis,” objects appear to be hovering above their actual location.
The third type of mirage is known as the Fata Morgana. Fata Morgana are complex mirages that are most commonly seen in polar regions but can be viewed in any climate. They have three or more distorted and inverted images, and may change shape rapidly, depending on atmospheric conditions. Common examples of Fata Morgana are phantom landmasses seen at sea, ghost ships like the Flying Dutchman, and even UFOs.
If you see a mirage, you can rest assured that you are not hallucinating. A hallucination is when you see something that doesn’t actually exist, while a mirage is a real thing you just happen to see in the wrong location.
If you want to make sure you’re seeing clearly, whether you’re looking at a mirage or something right in front of you, come to CEENTA. With eye doctors in locations across North and South Carolina, the premier eye care you deserve can be always be found right where it should be.
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor. Would you like an appointment with an eye doctor? Call 704-295-3000. You can also schedule an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.
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