Mirage

Mirage or mirroring is an optical phenomenon very common on sunny days, especially on highways, in desert landscapes, or also on the high seas.

This is an image caused by the deviation of light reflected by the object, ie it is a real physical phenomenon and not just an optical illusion. A mirage can occur under different conditions, causing various types of object images.

Sunlight toward the asphalt is refracted due to the temperature gradient of the air layers as it approaches the asphalt. This refraction deflects the direction of light propagation, and ultimately it is reflected fully in the air layers near the ground, causing light to distance itself from it.

Thus, one has the illusion that the surface of the soil is mirrored (puddle of apparent water). The phenomenon is also observed when the soil is very cold, in which case the images reflected in the air are inverted.

There are several types of mirage, with different formation processes. Basically, the mirage is divided into two major groups: lower and upper mirage. The first is desert mirage and highways on hot days, and the second is more common in polar regions and less common than the first, and is called Fata Morgana.