The Omega (Ω) Sunrise

I hope you find this rare observation is worth sharing.

The Omega (Ω) Sunrise

I, Juned Patel, witnessed this infrequent occurrence of an Omega (Ω) stage of an inferior mirage sunrise on the 5th of June 2024 from Norfolk, UK.

This phenomenon is called an Omega (Ω) Sun because it resembles the Greek letter Omega (Ω). The actual position of the sun is represented by the disk at the top. The bottom disk, which appears like an Omega (Ω), is an inverted image of the sun due to refraction, known as an inferior mirage. This type of mirage is named "inferior" because it appears below the "real" sun.

The mirage occurs due to sunlight refracting through a layer of warmer, less dense air near the ocean's surface. As the sun rises, more than half of its disk is above the horizon. This refraction creates the optical illusion of a second mirage 'sun' rising from the water below the real sun. As the sun continues to rise, the two disks gradually separate, forming a shape that looks like the Greek letter Omega (Ω). The physical process is similar to the "wet road" illusion often seen on hot summer days.

Following the Omega stage, as the real sun rises, the inferior mirage ends, revealing the sun's reflection in the water. Eventually, the reflection ends as the sun ascends into the sky.

How fortunate I was to witness this phenomenon.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1R1ACdgbGS-z-pLEzMtRsKN-Qmfw1H6AY?usp=sharing

Nikon D750 at 500mm

Just touched up in photoshop.