Chicago Skyline Mirage
Stranger Things Happen on the Shores of Lake Michigan
You May See Chicago from Southwest Michigan
Apr 29 2015 1240 AM EDT - A picture of the Chicago skyline taken almost 60 miles away is actually a mirage. The phenomenon was captured from Weko Beach in Bridgman, Michigan, by Jeri Raycraft, whose image above shows a seemingly impossible sight.
When you see the Chicago skyline from Lake Michigan—hands-down the best vantage point for viewing it—the first prominent building on the left is usually the John Hancock Center. But what Raycraft saw that day was an image of the Hancock Center that appeared to be right next to the Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive bridge, in the foreground of the photo.
It's no secret that the flagship parks of downtown Chicago—namely Grant and Millennium—offer breathtaking views of the city skyline. But can you really see the Windy City from the shores of Southwest Michigan? The mind boggles.
That's right—you can see Chicago from Southwest Michigan. This phenomenon is thanks to atmospheric ducting, a weather condition that occurs when a layer of warm air sits above a layer of cooler air. This causes light to bend, and can result in mirages. The conditions were just right for atmospheric ducting on the day that Raycraft took her photo.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
Comments