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Shimering City Lights

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ally_cat | 20:38 Tue 25th May 2004 | How it Works
5 Answers
When you are on a hill, looking down at city lights why do they appear to be shimmering?
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Avatar Image Gef
For the same reason that stars seem to 'twinkle'. The light had to travel through air at different densities (temperatures).
22:01 Tue 25th May 2004
Avatar Image darth vader
(just to expand on Gef - ooer!) there is a lot of heat coming off a city. The light travels through this heat, then through the cooler air where you are stood, hence a temperature differential. The same effect seen driving down a road on a hot day can be explained by this also.
16:54 Wed 26th May 2004
Avatar Image IggyB
but what is the twinkling?
15:29 Thu 27th May 2004
Avatar Image bazwillrun
Chromatic Aberration
17:58 Thu 27th May 2004
Avatar Image anastacia
It's the distance you silly dilly!!
07:43 Sun 30th May 2004

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