Well, well, well…
http://en.chinabroadcast.cn/811/2006/05/07/421@85556.htm
If this is not Photoshopped, it will be the finest image of an actual mirage I’ve ever seen.
Opinions?
It’s consistent with other photos and sketches I’ve seen of this sort of mirage.
So, this is a reflection of the city, more or less?
Reading the link, one might think we were seeing a completely different city in the mirage.
This is a Fata Morgana-type mirage, in which the top of the buildings seem to be raised and a thin strip across the middle gets “stretched out”. This kind of mirage can make boulders appear to be tall, thin spires, which gives naturally-occurring scenes the appearance of large and stately cities, and makes real cities seem otherwordly. Image that the scene is seen in one of those funhouse mirrors that stretch the middle of everything vertically, but leave the top and bottom pretty much unchanged. For details, see Minnaert’s book The Nature of Light and Color in the Open Air, or the references in Jearl D. Walker’s The Flying Circus of Physics. Or google “Fata Morgana”.
Isn’t that the same type of illusion seen in arctic regions that create images of sort of heavenly crystal cities?
“Actual mirage” sounds like the kind of oxymoron George Carlin might point out. 
I believe he’s just leaving off the “of what looks like the stereotype” at the end, that’s all.
I like this one:
Lots more mirages here, with videos: http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=25722
Matt, that’s a cool site. I loved the picture of the green ray, something I’ve been wanting to see for years.
Bosda, I hate to say it, but the first picture in your link looks phony to me.
Thank you for confirming my belief that all male Finns, without exception, are called “Pekka”.
While it looks like there might be jpeg artefacts around the city in the first Chinese image, this site credits Xinhua for the photo, which is the state news service, and relatively respectable (for China).
Sorry, China Foto Press, not Xinhua. Also quite respectable. (Search for “mirage” for the original.)
Sal, don’t be sorry, as I’m interested in input.
But, why? :dubious: 
Was it clear if the mirage was of Penglai City itself? I have hear that mirages can be “transposed” from quite a distance.
Bosda*, that is truly spectacular. I can’t imagine what it must be like to see such detail in a mirage. I’m still boggled by regular old summer highway mirages!
The arctic images were great too. And is liked the Finnish video! I have seen a green sky twice, but not a green sun.