Mirage

A mirage is an optical illusion caused by the bending of light rays as they pass through layers of air with different temperatures. When the ground is very hot, the air just above it is warmer than the air above, creating a temperature gradient. This causes light to bend or refract, making distant objects appear displaced, distorted, or in some cases, like water reflections. Commonly seen on hot roads or deserts, mirages give the illusion of water or distant objects that are not actually present. They are natural phenomena resulting from the interactions between light and temperature differences in the atmosphere.