Scientists have long been baffled by the Min Min lights in the
Australian outback, which seem to follow travelers for long
distances. Researcher Jack Pettigrew says, "The Min Min
light seems to have magical qualities, sometimes following
observers, even as they speed away in vehicles, while at
other times seeming to retreat shyly." Although these light
appear to be close by, they can actually be hundreds of miles
away.
He decided to find out what causes them and says, "The Min
Min light occurs when light, from a natural or man-made
source, is refracted to an observer who is tens, or even
hundreds, of kilometres away, by an inverted mirage, or Fata
Morgana. Named after the Morgan fairy, who was reputed to
be able to conjure cities on the surface of the sea ice, the
Fata Morgana is a real physical phenomenon, being caused by
a temperature inversion.
"A cold, dense layer of air next to the ground (or sea, or sea
ice) carries light far over the horizon to a distant observer
without the usual dissipation and radiation, to produce a vivid
mirage?In a celebrated and authenticated example, the Irish
sea cliffs were seen floating in vivid greens and browns above
the calm Atlantic by observers on a ship more than a
thousand kilometres away?Fata Morgana can be terrifying at
night when a single light source gives no hint that it is
actually part of a mirage emanating from a great distance."
Mirages that led thirsty desert travels to water holes, only to
find nothing there but sand, are probably caused the same
way.
Learn the mystery of Egyptian
powdered gold?among other things?on the long-awaited
Dreamland show with Laurence Gardner, starting
Saturday, May 10.
For more information, click here.
