theguy on Nostr: Usually the official explanation is that due to the large amount of water particles ...
Usually the official explanation is that due to the large amount of water particles in the air and the difference in temperature of the air (cold air layer under hot air layer) an optical effect called "refraction" appears and lifts objects up from under the physical horizon by the tune of kilometers.
My problem with that is that I have never seen it proven experimentally. I have also never experienced myself low temperatures at the sea level with higher temperatures in the mountains - it is always the opposite without exceptions.
And since it is atmospheric conditions that supposedly cause vertical refraction, I always wondered why has no one experimentally proved horizontal refraction? If it is real, it should be possible to showcase it and see objects behind a corner of a wall, given right humidity and temperatures. Otherwise, why would an optical refraction discriminate against horizontal vision, it does not make any sense.
My problem with that is that I have never seen it proven experimentally. I have also never experienced myself low temperatures at the sea level with higher temperatures in the mountains - it is always the opposite without exceptions.
And since it is atmospheric conditions that supposedly cause vertical refraction, I always wondered why has no one experimentally proved horizontal refraction? If it is real, it should be possible to showcase it and see objects behind a corner of a wall, given right humidity and temperatures. Otherwise, why would an optical refraction discriminate against horizontal vision, it does not make any sense.