[ojnabieoot]

The schematic here on Wikipedia might help clarify: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fada_morgana_graphnn...

If instead of layers of warm/cold air there were giant glass lenses hovering over the ocean, the mirage wouldn’t be mysterious.

[leobabauta]

I’d find giant lenses hovering over the ocean to be pretty mysterious.

[xaduha]

I think they were attempting a joke. Hot-road mirage is a common thing that most people that were in a car trip during summer have seen, same principles.

[ojnabieoot]

I’m aware it was a joke :) But I think the confusion was sincere; the explanation in the article is lacking if you don’t have a clear picture to begin with.

[Igelau]

Ah, so there's a man on an island bobbing fake ships on his massive attenae. It's like the myth of the Sirens but instead of ladies saying, "come heeeeere" it's a dude saying, "look a shiiiip".