“Fata Morgana (Mirage) Observed from Albany, Missouri”
February 8, 2023 - 8:30 a.m.
This is not Photoshop trickery. Believe it or not, it is a real phenomenon. These pictures represent what a telephoto view of the western horizon looked like this morning from Albany, Missouri. The view was looking to the southwest and west from just south of town on a ridge overlooking the East Fork of the Grand River.

This is a phenomenon called “Fata Morgana” more commonly known as a mirage. It’s a distortion of landscape features caused by light rays from distant objects passing through air layers of different temperatures (sometimes referred to as a temperature inversion). It always amazes me how the horizon becomes so distorted and unrecognizable when these weather conditions come together to produce this other-worldly view.

This phenomenon is more common in desert and polar regions but can occur about anywhere land or sea. At first look, without optical aid, they are not that noticeable and oftentimes go unnoticed. It’s only after examining the horizon more closely with a telephoto lens or other optical aid that the full effect can be appreciated.
I have observed this several times in the past from this same location and will post links to those pictures here as well. From my particular vantage point, this phenomenon brought the Conception Abbey into view where otherwise it would normally be over the horizon invisible from a distance of about 18 miles.

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Niko D750 with 500mm Lens at f/8
ISO 100 and ~ 1/1250 second Exposures
Handheld. Forgot the tripod plate for the big lens. Curses.

Minor "clean-up" editing in photoshop - Exposure, contrast, white-balance