Can You Believe It? #17 What is a Mirage?

[@jayantakumarborah]

Beautiful speech and explanation

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

[@LaplacianFourier]

Holy cow. I've noticed puddles while driving and thought dafaq, I swear there was a puddle there. Never made the connection with mirage. Thanks for the lecture online. 😃

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Yes, they look so real!

[@karhukivi]

I saw these in certain places in the Sahara desert in W. Africa. Usually one has to be on a slightly elevated area and the mirage appears about 1-2 km away on lower ground in the general direction of the sun. They look like a large expanse of blue water which is the sky reflection. Contrary to popular belief, they can be photographed and there is no inviting palm tree! It is easy to see why a person in a survival situation might think there was a lake not far away.

[@MichelvanBiezen]

The key is the palm tree. If you see palm trees, then it is probably a real oasis.

[@karhukivi]

@@MichelvanBiezen Indeed!

[@narek323]

A suggestion: A lecture on Quantum Field theory, the Klein-Gordon equation, and the Dirac equation (oh! Spinors!).

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Good suggestions! (We added them to our list of topis to cover). These are heavy topics, so we'll have to think about how to present it in this series.

[@danalaniz7314]

Great explanation and really fits in with a recent Physics class on light refraction. Thanks!

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@danalaniz7314]

@@MichelvanBiezen I truly did enjoy it as well as many other videos you have posted. I am 70 yrs old and am now taking an introductory astronomy class at my local community college because I love stargazing. I regularly watch your videos to help reinforce my understanding of the concepts presented. Your posts have helped so much! Also, I love wearing bow ties and love that you wear them in the presentations! :)

[@MichelvanBiezen]

That is great! Astronomy is truly fascinating. I am glad you have the chance to take a class in it at your local college.

[@AbhijeetGawas]

Very nicely explained sir... Big fan of yours

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@yusufmustafa7323]

Thanks sir for your perfect and smart approach that you are doing

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@AbjSir]

Wowwwww, So interesting

[@MichelvanBiezen]

I was always fascinated when I saw this on the road.

[@LoverRoblox5]

All this mirage stuff is getting me interested

[@MichelvanBiezen]

It is fascinating indeed.

[@paulor.r.correia1789]

Excelente. Parabéns. Excelent. Congratulations. 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Glas you enjoyed it. 🙂

[@pancakeoperator]

Yaaay! Another good thing learned today. Thank you

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Peter_1986]

I always see this phenomenon when I drive on a particular road that is some distance from my village. It looks as if there are lots of puddles on the road, and then they disappear when I get closer to them and are replaced by other "puddles" further ahead.

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Yes, this used to fascinate me when I was a kid. We never seemed to be able to reach one of the "puddles". 😕

[@gauravbisht4649]

Thank you Teacher

[@MichelvanBiezen]

You are welcome

[@pranavamali05]

Thnku sir

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Glad you liked it. (First comment of the day). 🙂

[@zakirhussain-js9ku]

If light is massless & not affected by gravity, could refraction due to denser space around massive body be bending the light.

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Light IS affected by gravity.

[@dlrmfemilianolako8]

Mirage is beautiful for we ,that see it in films and laugh when people experience a mirage but it is dissappointing for anyone who is tired and see that has many miles to do 😂😂😂😂😂

[@MichelvanBiezen]

If you are in need of water in the desert, it can be very frustrating.

[@dlrmfemilianolako8]

@@MichelvanBiezen yes its true

[@LoverRoblox5]

When I was in a car, I looked at the road and I saw the water affect when it was only like 50 degrees

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Yes, on a sunny day the asphalt can heat up to much greater temperatures than the air.

[@bengrindell7693]

Hello!!! Does this explain the basics of a Klingon clocking device????? : ) Except there is no air in space!!!!!

[@MichelvanBiezen]

Yes, we'll have to look for another solution. 🙂

[@paulor.r.correia1789]

Profesor, can you explain the Sun's Dog? 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@MichelvanBiezen]

There are times that when you look up in the sky at night during a full Moon, that you will see a ring around the Moon. That is the result of the interaction of the moonlight with the ice crystals high in the atmosphere. This can also happen with the Sun when it is low in the sky and sometimes the parts of the ring on either side of the Sun will be brighter than the rest of the ring.

[@paulor.r.correia1789]

Thanks

[@te4683]

🥇

[@MichelvanBiezen]

🙂

[@Rincenso]

And if you want 5 British Comedians take on it, search for the video "QI Breaks Phill's Brain" here on KZbin.

[@MichelvanBiezen]

That should be interesting.