What is Superior Mirage? Why the Ship looks Floating?

What is Superior Mirage? Why the Ship looks Floating? Superior mirages occur because of the weather condition known as a temperature inversion! where cold air lies close to the sea with warmer air above it! “Since cold air is denser than warm air, it bends light towards the eyes of someone standing on the ground or on the coast changing how a distant object appears! Superior mirages are quite common in polar regions especially over large sheets of ice, that have a uniform low temperature! Superior mirages also occur at more moderate latitudes although in those cases they are weaker and tend to be less smooth and stable. For example, a distant shoreline may appear to tower, and look higher, (and, thus, perhaps closer) than it really is! Because of the turbulence, there appear to be dancing spikes and type of mirage is also called: Fata Morgana, or hafgerdingar in the Icelandic language! IMAGES CREDIT: DAVID MORRIS/APEX OTHER IMAGES CREDIT: