- The Achilleas, a huge cargo ship, was seen “floating” off the coast of Greece
- The image is an example of the Fata Morgana illusion.
- Light bending in the air with different temperatures causes the illusion.
A giant ship was seen floating in the sky off the coast of Greece as a result of a strange optical illusion.
The Achilleas, a huge cargo ship, was seen “floating” while traveling on the sea line between the Greek mainland at Kimi and Skiros, one of its many islands.
The eerie photo was taken by Greek photographer Nontas Kalogiannis and is an example of a strange optical illusion known as Fata Morgana.
The complex illusion, named after Morgan Le Fey of Arthurian legend, is the result of the bending of light as it passes through layers of air with different temperatures.
The bending of light results in images of objects becoming distorted and changing to both the human eye and cameras.
The eerie photo was taken by Greek photographer Nontas Kalogiannis and is an example of a strange optical illusion known as Fata Morgana.
Often, Fata Morgana illusions result in inverted images, but on rare occasions, if conditions are right, the images can appear to be facing the right way, resulting in disturbing apparitions in the sea.
The phenomenon has occurred in some parts of Greece, such as in the western part of Samothrace.
The mirage is believed to be the source of the legend of the Flying Dutchman, according to Jonathan Eyers’ 2011 book Don’t Shoot the Albatross!: Nautical Myths and Superstitions.
The mirage is not limited to the sea and may be responsible for many unusual sightings, including mountains that appear to float.
In March, as a result of the phenomenon, a number of boats were seen “floating in the air” off the coast of Britain in Cornwall, Devon and Aberdeenshire. Pictured is a “floating” boat in Banff, Aberdeenshire.
The Anthem of the Seas cruise ship, a 168,000-ton Royal Caribbean liner, appeared to float on the water.
Frata Morgana is the Italian name for Morgan le Fay, the Arthurian sorceress who is believed to use witchcraft to conjure fairy castles used to lure sailors to their deaths.
Multiple “floating boats” have been photographed and videotaped over the years, and in a single incident the boats appear to float over the shield of Great Britain in Cornwall, Devon and Aberdeenshire.
In another sighting, four ships appeared to float on the sea off the coast of Cyprus, forming a line just east of the southern city of Limassol.