horizion refraction question

This evening while standing on the shores of
lake erie in Cleveland, I noticed a line of lights
along the horizion. This was most likely the
canadian shoreline being refracted into view.

Thru binoculars however, there seemed to be
a row of lights to the right, and an identical row
of lights to the left. I know that atmospheric refraction
will produce an inverted image of the shore line,
but can it do a rignt and left mirror image as well ?

BTW I am sure I was not seeing ore ships.

What you're describing is almost certainly a "superior mirage" over Lake
Erie, assuming that these lights are not visible on every clear night.
Lights normally below the horizon are being refracted upward by a
temperature inversion (warmer air above colder) in the atmosphere. This
is the opposite of an "inferior mirage" (objects seen lower) like we see
on roads on hot days. I used to see a superior mirage quite often when I
was at Northwestern, on the shores of Lake Michigan, especially in the
springtime. Every so often, the folks along the shore of western
Michigan see the lights of Chicago pop into view, and report them as
"UFOs".

You are correct about there being a horizontal line of symmetry, lights
above and lights below being a mirror image. The lower lights, however,
may not be visible. But no, there is no such thing as a *vertical* line
of symmetry, producing identical left/right images. That symmetry must
actually be in the lights themselves.

Jim Z wrote:

This evening while standing on the shores of
lake erie in Cleveland, I noticed a line of lights
along the horizion. This was most likely the
canadian shoreline being refracted into view.

Thru binoculars however, there seemed to be
a row of lights to the right, and an identical row
of lights to the left. I know that atmospheric refraction
will produce an inverted image of the shore line,
but can it do a rignt and left mirror image as well ?

BTW I am sure I was not seeing ore ships.


--
Robert Sheaffer - User name "Roberto" at debunker-dot-com
Skeptical to the Max!
Visit the Debunker's Domain - http://www.debunker.com
Resources Debunking All Manner of Bogus Claims
Also: Skepticism / Astronomy / Opera / more

Robert Sheaffer wrote:
What you're describing is almost certainly a "superior mirage" over
Lake
Erie, . . . Lights normally below the horizon are being refracted
upward
by a temperature inversion (warmer air above colder) in the
atmosphere.
This is the opposite of an "inferior mirage" (objects seen lower)
like we see on roads on hot days.

The EPOD recently (3-31-2005) had a good animated gif sequence showing
of a superior mirage of a ship off France.
http://epod.usra.edu/archive/epodviewer.php3?oid=239648

Here's a sunset inferior mirage -
http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/atoptics/sunmir.htm

- Canopus56

Thank you for the reply. I am however
still not sure if the lights I see are exactly
as seen, or there is some sort of right to left
mirror imaging going on. The pattern displays
right to left symmetry.

Jim

"Robert Sheaffer" wrote in message
news:rod7e.46128$lz2.23791@fed1read07...

What you're describing is almost certainly a "superior mirage" over Lake
Erie, assuming that these lights are not visible on every clear night.
Lights normally below the horizon are being refracted upward by a
temperature inversion (warmer air above colder) in the atmosphere. This
is the opposite of an "inferior mirage" (objects seen lower) like we see
on roads on hot days. I used to see a superior mirage quite often when I
was at Northwestern, on the shores of Lake Michigan, especially in the
springtime. Every so often, the folks along the shore of western
Michigan see the lights of Chicago pop into view, and report them as
"UFOs".

You are correct about there being a horizontal line of symmetry, lights
above and lights below being a mirror image. The lower lights, however,
may not be visible. But no, there is no such thing as a *vertical* line
of symmetry, producing identical left/right images. That symmetry must
actually be in the lights themselves.

Jim Z wrote:

This evening while standing on the shores of
lake erie in Cleveland, I noticed a line of lights
along the horizion. This was most likely the
canadian shoreline being refracted into view.

Thru binoculars however, there seemed to be
a row of lights to the right, and an identical row
of lights to the left. I know that atmospheric refraction
will produce an inverted image of the shore line,
but can it do a rignt and left mirror image as well ?

BTW I am sure I was not seeing ore ships.


--
Robert Sheaffer - User name "Roberto" at debunker-dot-com
Skeptical to the Max!
Visit the Debunker's Domain - http://www.debunker.com
Resources Debunking All Manner of Bogus Claims
Also: Skepticism / Astronomy / Opera / more