Superior mirages are caused when light from the object passes through a temperature inversion, a layer of cold, dense air beneath a warmer layer. on Jan. 19, 2020. Yummy, Sweet, Delicious Photography, St. Louis Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography, Senior Photography, Family Photography He said the mirage appears because of "special atmospheric conditions that bend light," adding the phenomenon is common in the Arctic but occasionally occurs in the U.K. "Since cold air is denser than warm air, it bends light towards the eyes of someone standing on the ground or on the coast, changing how a distant object appears," he said. When sunlight coming down from the sky approaches the air near the hot surface, it is bent back upwards to the observer’s eye, making the sky appear to be reflected on the road. A superior mirage near Airdrie, Alta. David Morris, who captured the extraordinary sight on camera, declared himself “stunned” when he noticed a giant tanker floating above the water as he looked out to sea from a hamlet near Falmouth in Cornwall. An illusion called "superior mirage" caused the vessel to look like it was hovering above the sea. The illusion is caused by a meteorological phenomenon called a temperature inversion. Photographer and businessman David Morris was snapping photos of Cornwall’s coastline on a clear day when a floating ship seemingly appeared off in the horizon. Fig. More from This Artist Similar Designs. Superior mirages may occur when there is a strong temperature inversion, such as warm air over a cold surface. The cover photo of the floating ship has caught everyone’s attention as this huge cargo ship appears to simply hover above the water. They are very rare in many parts of the world, but seen frequently in polar regions. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. BBC meteorologist David Braine said the "superior mirage" occurs because of "special atmospheric conditions that bend light". (Photo: Chris Ratzlaff) By Meral Jamal. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums. This video was taken on April 18th at 7:14pm from a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan from St. Joseph, Michigan, looking Westerly toward Chicago. Unlike the familiar shimmering mirage on hot pavement, which is a reflection of the sky, superior mirages distort distant objects like icebergs, ships, or islands. The ship looked like it was floating because of the similar coloring of the distant sky and sea, according to ITV. A superior mirage is one in which the mirage image appears to be located above the real object. Laurent Laveder. "Superior mirages occur because of the weather condition known as a temperature inversion, where cold air lies close to the sea with warmer air above it," BBC meteorologist David Braine said. 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