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mirage
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Diagram showing how an inferior mirage forms: light rays from a distant object bend upward as they pass through hot air near the ground, causing a viewer to see a displaced, inverted image below the real object. Cold air is depicted above the hot air layer, and the scene includes a person, palm trees, and a building. Mirage Mirage
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Diagram showing how an inferior mirage forms: light rays from a distant object bend upward as they pass through hot air near the ground, causing a viewer to see a displaced, inverted image below the real object. Cold air is depicted above the hot air layer, and the scene includes a person, palm trees, and a building.
mirage The normal path of light rays carrying a direct image is shown by the black line. Under the right atmospheric conditions, the light rays may dip into a layer of hot air and then bend upward (red line) so that to an observer they appear to come from the ground.

mirage

optical illusion
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mirage, in optics, the deceptive appearance of a distant object or objects caused by the bending of light rays (refraction) in layers of air of varying density. Under certain conditions, such as over a stretch of pavement or desert air heated by intense sunshine, the air rapidly cools with elevation and therefore increases in density and refractive power. Sunlight reflected downward from the upper portion of an object—for example, the top of a camel in...

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