Let’s look at what causes this startling phenomenon. 1 Common optical phenomena are often due to the interaction of light from the sun or moon with the atmosphere, clouds, water, dust, and other particulates. All optical phenomena coincide with quantum phenomena. Sometimes that’s literally alien, because fata morgana could pass for a flying saucer to someone in the right frame of mind. Optical phenomena are any observable events that result from the interaction of light and matter. (The moon illusion really is an illusion, with no measurable change in visible size at the horizon.) From true optical illusions like the Hermann grid, we can note and reflect on the idea that our brains are communicating incomplete information to us-a lesson that’s humbling in a good way.īut optical phenomena may fill us with awe or even fear because of how alien they appear. You could never take a picture of your experience of viewing the Hermann grid, but you can photograph a mirage or a fata morgana. An optical phenomenon is just something surprising that's indeed actually happening. there’s no better way to investigate quickly than taking a closer look with optical aid. Here’s where some keen-eyed (and pedantic) people are sitting up in their chairs and saying, “These are phenomena, not illusions.” They’re not wrong! An optical illusion is something like the Hermann grid, where our eyes imagine and “see” something that truly isn’t there. Here's a list of phenomena, either natural or human-made, that people often mistake for UFOs. Sometimes, you can still see a ship that has dipped below the horizon. The moon looks notably larger than at other positions in the sky. The sun appears to squash into an oval or even into discrete rectangular bands. Atmospheric optical phenomena are visual events that take place in Earths atmosphere as a consequence of light reflection, refraction, and diffraction by. But that’s already a clue, because the narrow band around the horizon is home to some wild optical illusions. What’s going on here? A ship appears to hover in the air just above the horizon.