Photo shows ship floating above water. Do our eyes play tricks on us?

The optical illusion is commonly seen in the Artic, but it appears "very rarely" in UK waters over the course of the winter months.

MARCH 6, 2021 16:45

A man looks out to sea in Portsmouth (photo credit: STEFAN WERMUTH/REUTERS) — A man looks out to sea in Portsmouth

(photo credit: STEFAN WERMUTH/REUTERS)

An image that appears to portray a ship floating well above the ocean waters was captured by an man taking a stroll along the English coastline, according to the BBC.

The stroller, David Morris, said that he was "stunned" when he saw the hovering machinery of the coast of Cornwall near Falmouth, which BBC Meteorologist David Braine explains is the cause of a optical illusion, or as he refers to it a "superior mirage."

Is this a superior mirage (that is a thing) or fake? @BBC is a credible outlet so inclined to consider it https://t.co/ulIMhL3YlL
— Marshall Shepherd (@DrShepherd2013) March 5, 2021

"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," Blaine said, according to the BBC.

He added that: "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."

The meteorologist said that the effect of the illusion could also flip, meaning that it's possible objects can appear below the horizon, instead of above.

The optical illusion is commonly seen in the Artic. It appears "rarely" in UK waters over the course of the winter months.