Aura or Illusion?

Factual Questions
1

When I stare at objects (including people),I can see an outline of light around the object with my peripheral vision.I asked someone about it and they said it was an aura.what is this light? an aura or an illusion?

2

See an ophthamologist :dubious:

3

Illusion. Images taken in low-light conditions with low-lux video cameras, even with image intensifiers, show no such effect. Our eyes can only see light, so you can’t explain it as some form of energy our eyes can detect that video cameras cannot, because there isn’t any such thing.

4

If you stare at an object and the background is lighter than the object, you will see a “halo.” This is from the combination of slip and the desensitisation of the retina.

The rods that are receiving the light from the background become less receptive. The rods that are receiving the light from the object are more receptive. As your eye drifts a bit, the light from the background hits the rods that are adjusted for the lower light coming from the object. The result is that you perceive brighter light around the edge of the object, compared with the dimmed-down light being reported by the over-stimulated parts of the retina that the background light is hitting.

This is totally normal – don’t worry about the ophthamologist.

5

OOOOH. Larry, you just explained what I’ve been seeing for years. In better words than, “those must be afterimages.”

6

There’s an optical illusion based on this; you stare at a dark object on a mid-grey background, but because of the natural tremble of your eye, the edges appear to be glowing, because receptors are moving from dark into light and the contrast of the transition is more stimulating than the backrground colour.

7

[Nitpick]

OphthaLmologist

[/nitpick]

8

Ayuh. I’ve posted a number of demonstrations of optical illusions here that I’ve banged up in Photoshop, but I don’t think any of them have been quite as easy to make as this one. :smiley:

This anomalous motion illusion exploits the same principle, but works with the chromatic equivalent to get yer cones to play along and create a more surprising effect.

9

wow,thank you guys :smiley:

10

Here’s a good one-but try not to stare at it too long, lest you give yourself a headache.

11

That’s my favourite illusion, Guin.

I made a supersized version of it, here. It will wreck your mind. :smiley:

12

BTW-- welcome, Thunderkiss – hope you stick around!

13

Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary!

14

Wahoo - I think I have found the next wallpaper for my next job<evil grin>

Wonder if it would make someone seasick… :smiley:

15

You broke my brain! I hope you’re happy.