Flickr: Jean-Philippe Barralis' Photostream

Good Morning Corsica

Corsica seen from the continent (above Cannes).

This is a well known phenomenon on the French Riviera. It can be seen most often in winter (January / February), when the weather is very cold and the sky very clear. But this moment is quite rare with this kind of clarity conditions.
No, it's not a cloud in background... It's Corsica... (160km between France and Corsica).

The curvature of the Earth allows to see the relief above a certain altitude.
The differences in density and temperature in the lower layers of the atmosphere tends to bend the light rays of Corsica and cause a slight mirage effect that enhances our visibility on the island.

Most of the time, visibility is too limited to see Corsica. Many substances suspended in the atmosphere (water vapor, among other things) that scatter light well before it reaches us.
This is the main reason why we can't see Corsica all the time.

Location: Southern tip tray Calern, altitude: 1250 meters, perfectly clear sky, temperature -8°C, just before sunrise.

It was a spectacular moment... :-)

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Uploaded on Jan 9, 2012 | Map

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