R. Doug Wicker — Author | Stories of Mystery and Adventure

December 3, 2019 · 5:35 am

A Fata Morgana — Superior Mirage Optical Illusion

Today I present a bonus blog article on an optical illusion Ursula and I witnessed yesterday morning.

Back in my other life as an air traffic controller working in various Airport Traffic Control Towers (ATCT) over the better part of a 34-year career, I would occasionally be treated to a Fata Morgana. These superior mirage atmospheric optical phenomena most often revealed themselves in the cold months of winter right after sunrise, and usually lasted less than an hour or so on the rare occasions when they did appear.

Yesterday we were presented with an outstanding example of a Fata Morgana right from our own backyard here in El Paso. Looking to the west we have a great view of the West Portillo Mountains, including Mount Riley and Cox Peak, both pictured below. These mountains were the subject of yesterday’s marvelous Fata Morgana.

So, without further adieu, I present a magnificent example of a Fata Morgana. The first picture below is of Cox Peak (left) and Mount Riley as they normally appear. The two pictures beneath that were taken eight minutes apart approximately an hour and a half before the ‘normal’ photo was taken.

Cox Peak (left); Mount Riley (right) at 10:14 a.m.

Fata Morgana image taken at 8:39 a.m.

Fata Morgana image taken at 8:47 a.m.

Comments Off on A Fata Morgana — Superior Mirage Optical Illusion

Filed under Photography, R. Doug Wicker

Tagged as Fata Morgana, mirage, optical illusion, photography, photography tips, R. Doug Wicker, superior mirage

December 2, 2019 · 5:35 am

Fall Foliage Cruise — Prince Edward Island; St. Augustine Church

St. Augustine Catholic Church

Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas arrived into Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.), on October 10 of this year. Here we joined up with several other passengers for a privately arranged tour with a really fun chap, Cyril Arsenault, who owns and operates Cyril’s Tours and Tales. Cyril has some really great tales. Indeed, listening to his fantastic life, it appears he’s done just about everything short of brain surgery or bank robbery. The man has done most everything else, including commercial fishing, commercial crabbing (think: Deadliest Catch), and working the oil sands of Alberta.

Cyril’s Tour and Tales — Cyril Arsenault

One of our stops this day was near the small town of South Rustico for a visit at the St. Augustine Catholic Church, and the nearby picturesque Farmers’ Bank of Rustico (1864-1894) and the Doucet House Museums. Alas, the lighting was pretty bad for the Farmers’ Bank. Even so, I’ll post a photograph of it on Wednesday. Here is Doucet House:

Doucet House Museums

Right next to St. Augustine is a charming property, which I assume may have been the vicarage (clergy house) for the church:

South Rustico, Prince Edward Island

St. Augustine Catholic Church was built on this site back in 1838, and it is the oldest parish church within the Diocese of Charlottetown. It’s also one of the oldest Catholic churches on P.E.I.

Built in 1836 — St. Augustine Catholic Church

Next to St. Augustine, to the west side, you’ll find a graveyard worthy of a picture or two:

St. Augustine Graveyard

Here are two photographs of the interior of the church:

St. Augustine Catholic Church

Going back outside and heading slightly east you’ll find these vantages:

St. Augustine Catholic Church

But one of my favorite images depicts the stone entry arch to the church grounds, the vicarage framed inside the arch, and the church forming a dramatic backdrop: