If you’ve ever read about the sinking of the Titanic, you may have heard the term “Fata Morgana.” While there’s no doubt that an iceberg was responsible for the sinking of the ship on April 15, 1912, new evidence suggests that this rare optical illusion might also have played a part. To put it simply, Fata Morgana is a type of mirage, one that’s normally associated with the open ocean but can also be seen at times on land. It takes its name from Morgan le Fay, an enchantress from the legend of King Arthur who was said to lure unwitting sailors into her traps. This type of mirage is responsible for all kinds of unusual sightings, from mountains in the middle of the ocean to ships that appear to be flying. It may even be the source of the legend of the Flying Dutchman, the ghost ship doomed to sail the seas forever. For a Fata Morgana to appear, the atmospheric conditions have to be just right. It starts with a cold air mass close to the ground or surface of the water that is topped by a warm layer of air higher in the atmosphere. Atmospheric conditions were right the night the Titanic sank, and a false horizon may have obstructed the view of the iceberg that sent the ship and its passengers to their watery grave. The Titanic sailed into the cold Labrador Current that clashed with warm Gulfstream waters, causing a thermal inversion that created the mirage. If you don’t believe that Fata Morganas exist, check out the video below.
