| A | B |
|---|
| diffraction | phenomena which occur when a wave encounters an obstacle |
| corona | a phenomenon in which colored rings appear around the Sun or the Moon |
| fata morgana | an optical phenomenon which results from a temperature inversion |
| glory | an optical phenomenon produced by light reflected toward its source by a cloud of uniformly-sized water droplets |
| halo | a ring of light that surrounds an object |
| illusion | a distortion of the senses, revealing how the brain normally organizes and interprets sensory stimulation |
| inferior image | when the image seen is under the real object |
| interference | the addition of two or more waves that result in a new wave pattern |
| internal reflection | an optical phenomenon that occurs when a ray of light strikes a medium boundary at an angle larger than the critical angle with respect to the normal to the surface |
| law of reflection | the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection |
| looming | a mirage that allows objects below the horizon to be seen |
| mirage | is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon, in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky |
| optics | the science that describes the behavior and properties of light and the interaction of light with matter |
| rainbow | these are optical phenomena that cause a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the atmosphere |
| refraction | is the change in direction of a wave due to a change in its speed |
| sundog | a common bright circular spot on a solar halo |
| sun pillar | a visual phenomenon created by the reflection of light from ice crystals with near horizontal parallel planar surfaces |
| superior image | when the image seen is above the real object |
| towering | a mirage in which the size of an object is magnified |
| dispersion | A phenomenon that causes separation |
