AERIAL REFLECTION. 3^ [ 



images were most distinct precisely opposite to where we stood, 

 and the false cliff seemed to fade away, and to draw near to 

 the real one, in proportion as it receded towards the west. 



This phenomenon lasted about ten minutes, or till the sun It disappeared 

 had risen nearly his own diameter above the surface of the 

 ocean. The whole then seemed to be elevated into the air, 

 and successively disappeared, giving an impression very similar 

 to that which is produced by the drawing up of a drop-scene 

 in the theatre. The horizon was cloudy, or perhaps it might 

 with more propriety be said, that the surface ^f the sea was 

 covered with a den«e fog, of many yards in height, and which 

 gradually receded before the rays of the sun. 



Perhaps such appearances may frequently occur at sea ; a 

 point your own experience may enable you to determine. Is 

 there aily analogy between this phenomenon and the celebra- 

 ted Fata Morgana ? 



I a.Ti, Sir, 



Your obdient servant, 



Percy-street, A. P. BUCHAN. 



Jnlj/ 18, 1805. 



Remarks. W. N. 



The cliff to the eastward of Brighton lies very nearly in the Observations 



direction S. 72° E. and the sun rose on the 28th Nov. 1804, ,*'°''' ^^e cliff 



bore and the 



S. 55^ E. The rays of the rising sun, therefore, fell upon the rising sun. 

 cliff in an angle of about 73" from the perpendicular, on the 

 left hand of the observer who was looking to the southward. 

 Hence the cliff wouhl be considerably illuminated, and the 

 observer not much prevented by the direct solar rays from ex- 

 amining the phenomenon before him. 



This fact is certainly of great value, as a proof that the ef- This fact of 

 fects described under the denomination of Fata Morgana (of '^ ^ ^^' 

 which an account is given, from Minasi, in the first volume of 

 our quarto series), are not produced merely by light trans- 

 mitted through the air, or reflected at small angles ; but also 

 by direct opposite reflection from some medium suspended in 

 the air. We possess few authentic facts of this last description, 

 and, I believe, no theory at all. Something, probably water, Conjecturfs 

 ^ppears to be arranged in the air, perhaps by that slow and 



regtilar 



