# The coffer illusion **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 14, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637 "2017-08-14T15:35:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/21 "2017-08-14T23:31:29Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Everywhere where the lines are vertical is inside of a circle; everywhere where the lines are horizontal is outside. Oh, that just makes it easy. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/22 "2017-08-15T05:56:16Z")
It took me longer to see the 3 big triangles ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/23 "2017-08-15T10:32:54Z")
I can also get it to appear to have 3D depth, like a magic eye. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/24 "2017-08-15T11:32:03Z")
Finally! That’s cool. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/25 "2017-08-15T12:34:54Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > I can also get it to appear to have 3D depth, like a magic eye. Yeah. For me the circles aren’t just circles. They’re more like raised pegs that stick out “above” the plane of the image by a distance. Like the bumps on a Lego brick. To me they “feel” like they’re about 1/4th as tall as their diameter. And when the circles are visible in one row, the rectangular boxes in the other rows also acquire a lot of 3D relief. All of which is what leads me to believe the effect is connected to one’s eyes not tracking quite right so the depth signals from their mis-alignment conflict with the deliberately confusing depth signals from the image contents itself. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/26 "2017-08-15T12:49:39Z")
The circles became clear for me almost immediately. That’s not a brag; I can almost never see whatever one is supposed to see in optical illusions. I have NEVER been able to see the image in those Magic Eye thingies and to this day I can only see the dress as blue and black unless the photo has been altered to show me otherwise. Very cool! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/27 "2017-08-15T13:42:08Z")
Now I cannot unsee the circles. This is not really an optical illusion. The circles are really the envelope of certain points (corners) and are real. An optical illusion is the unavoidable seeing of something that is really not there, such as parallel lines that appear to be converging or diverging. See: [Horizontal lines illusions](http://www.illusions.org/dp/1-2.htm) for an example. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/28 "2017-08-15T14:08:19Z")
I saw this the other day on facebook and thought it was nonsense. Then I looked again based on the first few replies in this thread and not only did I see the circles almost immediately, I also remembered that I’d seen it before. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/29 "2017-08-15T14:31:23Z")
It took me about the average 45 seconds mentioned in the article to see them. Maybe even a minute. It is a pretty cool illusion. What’s interesting to me is how when I avert my gaze to different parts of the image, I see different circles popping in and out of prominence. I can maybe see a maximum of eight at a time, but usually it’s either four or six. It can be four in a row, four in a square, or six as one vertical column plus two the next column over in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/30 "2017-08-15T15:36:03Z")
It’s all part of a government plan to control people. If you can see the circles, then your mind is being reshaped to be less resistant to the mind control. Beware people! I can see them and then not see them. I still have my freedom! Save yourselves while you still can! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/31 "2017-08-15T18:41:54Z")
I find it easiest to see them if I let my eyes go out of focus just a little bit, so the lines look blurry. May also be easier with only one eye open. From what I read about it, that’s likely because the lines are what force you to see it as a 3D image, and thus not notice the circles. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/32 "2017-08-15T18:45:05Z")
Huh. All I see are dead people. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/33 "2017-08-15T19:01:04Z")
Saw them quick, then lost them, then saw a few, then lost them, saw them all and located positions, with 2-3 switches I can now see, all or some at any time I chose but never at first glance, need a second or two. Getting quicker with practice. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/34 "2017-08-15T19:03:59Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Huh. > All I see are dead people. Do they know they’re dead? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/35 "2017-08-15T21:27:38Z")
Cool. I’m usually good at these. Not this time, had to use the hints. But it’s still “shaky” on seeing them. I keep switching back to boxes. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/36 "2017-08-16T00:40:56Z")
My experience went something like this: Second 1: There’s no way Second 2: I’m gonna see Second 3: Any freakin’… Second 4: Wow! mmm ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/37 "2017-08-16T01:23:37Z")
It took me maybe 2 seconds to see the circles. I glanced at it, saw rectangles, blinked and immediately saw the circles. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/38 "2017-08-16T01:36:13Z")
At first I could only see the squares, pretty soon I could see three goats and a spaceship, after a few more minutes I could see circles, but only 15, then Lincoln’s face took over and finally that crap emoji. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/39 "2017-08-16T07:25:02Z")
The colours took the longest, for me, but now I can’t unsee them ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637/40 "2017-08-16T20:17:50Z")
At first, I saw just the squares - then I saw the circles. However, unlike “the average person,” I was able to unsee them - in fact, they kept switching back and forth between “where did they go?” and “there they are again.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-coffer-illusion/793637.md?page=3)