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Dark clouds blanket the sky over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, USA leaving a small opening to allow a glimmer of bright light to break through. Icebergs float across the surface of the Arctic Ocean and in the backdrop, a fata morgana or Arctic mirage gives off the appearance of flat-topped mountains when in reality there are no mountains at all.
A fata morgana is a mirage which takes place from a temperature inversion and usually appears in the Arctic climates during the morning hours after a cold night. Objects or parts of the landscape such as islands, cliffs, icebergs and even ships, seem as if they are elongated and elevated. When the warm air lies over the cold, thick air close to the ground, both air masses produce an upside-down picture making the farthest image appear as if it is hovering.
A fata morgana appears more often in the polar regions, especially when the landscape is blanketed in sheets of ice but the same effect can happen across desert areas, oceans and lakes on extremely hot days. This Arctic mirage can change within seconds depending on how fast the conditions change within the atmosphere.
This fata morgana over the Arctic Ocean in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is fascinating and creates a prime opportunity for photographers who are in the right location at the precise time.
Fata Morgana (arctic mirage) hovers over the iceberg covered Arctic Ocean
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