Jim, The air near the ground is hotter and thus has a lower optical index of refraction. This causes light rays to bend upwards, much like a prism with its apex pointed downward. It therefore behaves like a mirror.
Gordon At 09:26 AM 5/2/99 , Jim Morrison wrote: >I have a desk "Space Calendar" that has a tear-off page with an outer space >related picture for each date. The picture for April 30, shows the Space >Shuttle on the ground at Edwards Air Force Base with a perfect reflection of >the vehicle in what appears to be a lake. It is not a lake, but a mirage >caused by the extreme heating of the of the ground. > >Can anyone explain what is happening that causes such a perfectly reflected >image? Gordon Uber [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reynen & Uber Web Design http://www.ubr.com/rey&ubr/ Webmaster: Clocks and Time http://www.ubr.com/clocks/
