Superior Mirage

A mirage occurs when light is refracted through layers of air of different densities. In the case of the superior mirage, a layer of warmer (less dense) air lies on top of a layer of cooler (more dense) air.

Cmpare the superior mirage above with the more commonly seen inferior mirage, shown below.

All of the images below were taken within a minute or two from the same vantage point, illustrating the changing nature of this kind of mirage.

Below is a superior mirage at sunrise; an image of both the mountains and the sun form above the real things.

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