Rare mirage appears off east China shore (Xinhua) Updated: 2006-05-07 19:42
Thousands of tourists and local residents witnessed a mirage of high clarity
lasting for four hours off the shore of Penglai City in east China's Shandong
Province on Sunday.
A boat sails on
the sea as a mirage appears off the shore of Penglai
on May 6, 2006, East China's Shandong Province Monday.
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Mists rising on the shore created an image of a city, with modern high-rise
buildings, broad city streets and bustling cars as well as crowds of people all
clearly visible.
The city of Penglai had been soaked by two days of rain before the rare
weather phenomenon occurred.
The mirage took place during the week-long Labor Day holiday. The small city
received over 30,000 tourists on Sunday.
Experts said that many mirages have been recorded in Penglai, on the tip of
Shandong Peninsula, throughout history, which made it known as a dwelling place
of the gods.
They explained that a mirage is formed when moisture in the air becomes
warmer than the temperature of sea water, which refracts rays of sunlight to
create reflections of the landscape in the sky.
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