In astronomical imaging and Earth imaging, the crater illusion, also known as the dome illusion or crater/dome illusion, is an optical illusion which causes impact craters and other depressions to appear raised as domes or mountains.[1] It is believed to be caused by our being accustomed to seeing light from overhead.[2] When some images are taken from orbit, the light from the sun is nearly horizontal. This is the only time shadows are seen. Our brains are tricked into thinking that the interior of the crater is above the surrounding terrain instead of below it.[3]
Examplesedit
In September 2015, NASA released an image from the space probe Dawn of the crater Occator on dwarf planetCeres. Because of the position of the Sun at the time the image was taken, the walls of the crater may appear to be convex instead of concave. On the right is the same image rotated 180 degrees to change the position of the shadows and eliminate the illusion.
Crater Occator on the dwarf planet CeresThe same image of Occator rotated 180-degrees
In December 1968, the Apollo 8 mission took the photograph on the right of the Moon's crater Goclenius. On the left is the same image rotated in an attempt to create the illusion.
Photograph of Goclenius rotated in an attempt to create the crater illusionThe original Apollo 8 Photograph of the Moon's Goclenius Crater
In March 2011, NASA released an image of Mercury's Spitteler and Holberg craters taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft.[4] The image on the left is the original image and the image on the right is the same image rotated in an attempt to remove the illusion.
Original image of Spitteler and Holberg craters showing illusion.The same image rotated in an attempt to eliminate the illusion
In the image on the left of the Tin Bider crater produced by NASA Earth Observatory's EO-1-based Advanced Land Imager produces a reverse illusion. The crater rises above the surrounding terrain, however the position of the sun makes it appear to be below it.[5]
Original NASA Earth Observatory image of Tin Bider CraterThe same image rotated
Referencesedit
^"An Impact Melt Crater You'll Flip For". Slate.com Bad Astronomy. 28 July 2013.
^Crater Illusion by Paul Doherty, retrieved September 12, 2015
^"Do You See a Mountain or a Crater in this Picture?". Universe Today. 29 January 2015.
^"A Trip Around our Solar System". The Atlantic In Focus. 27 May 2001.
^Tin Bider Crater, Algeria from the NASA Earth Observatory, retrieved September 12, 2015
External linksedit
The Dome Illusion!
Lunar Craters inverting Illusion
Crater Optical Illusion
April 14, 2024
crater, illusion, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, require, cleanup, meet, wikipedia, quality, standards, specific, problem, rearrange, pi. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia s quality standards The specific problem is rearrange pictures so it is easier to read Please help improve this article if you can May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Crater illusion news newspapers books scholar JSTOR May 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message In astronomical imaging and Earth imaging the crater illusion also known as the dome illusion or crater dome illusion is an optical illusion which causes impact craters and other depressions to appear raised as domes or mountains 1 It is believed to be caused by our being accustomed to seeing light from overhead 2 When some images are taken from orbit the light from the sun is nearly horizontal This is the only time shadows are seen Our brains are tricked into thinking that the interior of the crater is above the surrounding terrain instead of below it 3 Examples editIn September 2015 NASA released an image from the space probe Dawn of the crater Occator on dwarf planet Ceres Because of the position of the Sun at the time the image was taken the walls of the crater may appear to be convex instead of concave On the right is the same image rotated 180 degrees to change the position of the shadows and eliminate the illusion nbsp Crater Occator on the dwarf planet Ceres nbsp The same image of Occator rotated 180 degreesIn December 1968 the Apollo 8 mission took the photograph on the right of the Moon s crater Goclenius On the left is the same image rotated in an attempt to create the illusion nbsp Photograph of Goclenius rotated in an attempt to create the crater illusion nbsp The original Apollo 8 Photograph of the Moon s Goclenius CraterIn March 2011 NASA released an image of Mercury s Spitteler and Holberg craters taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft 4 The image on the left is the original image and the image on the right is the same image rotated in an attempt to remove the illusion nbsp Original image of Spitteler and Holberg craters showing illusion nbsp The same image rotated in an attempt to eliminate the illusionIn the image on the left of the Tin Bider crater produced by NASA Earth Observatory s EO 1 based Advanced Land Imager produces a reverse illusion The crater rises above the surrounding terrain however the position of the sun makes it appear to be below it 5 nbsp Original NASA Earth Observatory image of Tin Bider Crater nbsp The same image rotatedReferences edit An Impact Melt Crater You ll Flip For Slate com Bad Astronomy 28 July 2013 Crater Illusion by Paul Doherty retrieved September 12 2015 Do You See a Mountain or a Crater in this Picture Universe Today 29 January 2015 A Trip Around our Solar System The Atlantic In Focus 27 May 2001 Tin Bider Crater Algeria from the NASA Earth Observatory retrieved September 12 2015External links editThe Dome Illusion Lunar Craters inverting Illusion Crater Optical Illusion Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crater illusion amp oldid 1085338098, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
