An amazing optical illusion has been captured by a man in the UK.
There are only so many polite words that come to mind when one spots a ship apparently hovering above the ocean during a stroll along the English coastline.
David Morris was stunned when he noticed a giant tanker floating above the water as he looked out to sea from a hamlet near Falmouth in Cornwall.
The strange view is an example of an optical illusion known as a superior mirage.
Such illusions are reasonably common in the Arctic but can also happen in UK winters when the atmospheric conditions are right.
The illusion is caused by something called a temperature inversion. This is when warm air sits on top of a band of colder air. Usually, it is the opposite way around.
Because cold air is denser than warm air, it means light rays coming from the ship are bent downwards as it passes through the colder air. This makes the ship appear in a higher position than it really is – in this instance, above the sea surface.
17 Responses
that is not real
wow
Wow
thats my dad
wow thats amazing
wow
i thought it was just floating!
… that weird
wow
wow imagine if that happened durring Americas cup all the boats whould be floating!
Wow this is cool
Wow
E
wow i think its photoshopped
it almost looks photo shopped
WOW IT LOOKS SO REAL
thats soo cool
that is so cool