Photographers in the Mediterranean recently captured mesmerizing images of the sunset and sunrise, revealing a rare phenomenon known as the “Omega sun”. These photographs showcase the sun appearing to melt towards the horizon, creating unique “lava-like blobs” in the sky. The warped sun’s surface also revealed an enormous sunspot on both occasions.

On July 11, photographer Martin Gembec captured these remarkable shots of the oozing sun from the island of Korčula in Croatia as it set behind the Adriatic Sea. The following day, on July 12, photographer David Marshall witnessed the same effect as the sun rose above the Adriatic Sea, but this time from the Italian coastline near San Benedetto del Tronto.

The “Omega sun” phenomenon derives its name from the Greek letter Omega, which shares a similar shape to the distorted sun, stretching down and then out. This type of phenomenon is categorized as an “inferior mirage”, caused by differences in air temperature above the water’s surface. Due to its resemblance to pottery made in ancient Italy, between the 7th and 5th centuries B.C., this effect is also referred to as the “Etruscan vase”.

Gembec’s images provide a partial depiction of the Omega sun, as the setting sun does not touch the horizon and spill out. Marshall’s photograph, on the other hand, captured the phenomenon in its entirety, demonstrating the sun rising from behind Earth’s curvature.

Inferior mirages occur when the ocean’s surface and the warmer air just above it differ in temperature from the air further above the surface. The temperature contrast causes the light from the sun to bend upward towards an observer, creating an inverted image of the sun underneath. Therefore, during the Omega Sun Phenomenon, the bottom portion of the sun is effectively reflected by an invisible mirror. This mirage can also sometimes distort the appearance of the moon if it is near the horizon.

As the sun sets, the part of the sphere that dips below the horizon can appear as a warped triangle, resembling a pyramid. This further enhances the awe-inspiring visuals of the Omega sun.

Conversely, superior mirages are created when conditions are reversed, with warmer air higher above the ocean than the air just above the water’s surface. This can lead to objects, such as large boats, appearing to hover above the horizon.

The occurrence of successive Omega sun sightings in the Mediterranean may be connected to an extreme heatwave in Europe. This heatwave has resulted in near-record temperatures for over a week. The excessive heat may have been absorbed by the first few feet of the ocean’s surface, causing the surrounding air to remain warm as temperatures cool overnight.

Both images captured by Gembec and Marshall show a prominent sunspot named AR3363. On July 15, AR3363 emitted a cloud of fast-moving magnetized plasma called a coronal mass ejection (CME). This CME combined with another to form a “cannibal CME”, which impacted Earth on July 18.

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