Strange Optical Phenomenon (mirror in shower)

[Neddy Bate]

I would go for optical phenomenon

Illusion gives me the impression you are seeing something not actually present

The colours of the rainbow are physically present and detectable, think camera

Phenomenon is the physics of different wavelengths of the light spectrum bending at different wavelengths passing through a prism (raindrop)

Thank you, Michael 345. I happen to agree that optical phenomenon is a better description of a rainbow.

 

[DaveC426913]

Okay, so you refuse to tell me which way you would categorize a rainbow, just in case, later, I might say that the pupil effect is "the same" as a rainbow.

Sorry, I am refusing to tell you? That's pretty incendiary language.

Are you demanding I tell you?

 

[Neddy Bate]

Sorry, I am refusing to tell you?

Are you demanding I tell you?

No, I just asked.

 

[DaveC426913]

No, I just asked.

What I think is that the proof will be in the pudding.

It will be "like a rainbow" when a plausible mechanism can be formed that operates to reflect, refract, block, or diffract light.

So far, we don't really know it is a phenomenon, any more than Magical Realist over in the UFO thread knows that craft can accelerate at hypersonic speeds. They're interpretations in lieu of explanations.

You have an idea, and so do I. But neither of us have supporting evidence.

 

[DaveC426913]

I am really intrigued though. And I can't see any way I can explore it but re-enacting the setup.

Can you narrow down the specs to re-enact it? Anything that might affect the optics. Position of light(s)? Number of lights? Colour of lights? Type (halogen/incandescent/fluorescent)? Colour of walls? What factors have no effect, what factors are critical?

 

[Neddy Bate]

What I think is that the proof will be in the pudding.

It will be "like a rainbow" when a plausible mechanism can be formed that operates to reflect, refract, block, or diffract light.

Yes! That plausible mechanism is exactly what I am trying to form. Reflection, refraction, and diffraction are all probably playing their parts. Blocking is only partial, due to the water being translucent.

I don't claim to have the whole answer, that is actually what I was asking for help with!

So far, we don't really know it is a phenomenon, any more than Magical Realist over in the UFO thread knows that craft can accelerate at hypersonic speeds. They're interpretations in lieu of explanations.

You have an idea, and so do I. But neither of us have supporting evidence.

Wegs said she was able to replicate the experiment. The scientific method involves specifying the details of the experiment, and then having others replicate it, test it, and try to explain it.

 

[Neddy Bate]

I am really intrigued though. And I can't see any way I can explore it but re-enacting the setup.

Can you narrow down the specs to re-enact it? Anything that might affect the optics. Position of light(s)? Number of lights? Colour of lights? Type (halogen/incandescent/fluorescent)? Colour of walls? What factors have no effect, what factors are critical?

This is awesome! I was just posting that I would be happy to help you with the details to see it for yourself, then I saw that you posted that would be interested in those details. I will do a summary of the pertinent details.

 

[Neddy Bate]

Can you narrow down the specs to re-enact it? Anything that might affect the optics. Position of light(s)? Number of lights? Colour of lights? Type (halogen/incandescent/fluorescent)? Colour of walls? What factors have no effect, what factors are critical?

Anything not mentioned in the following steps probably has no effect, such as colour of walls, etc.

...

1. Start with a hand-held mirror, so that you can test holding it in different positions (more details about where to try holding it are given in steps 5 thru 9).

2. Make sure the mirror is clean, because if it is covered with calcium deposits from being in the shower all the time, then it will make it very hard to see the pupil effect.

3. You should be able to use whatever lighting is already installed in your bathroom, regardless of the type or location.

4. Stand in the shower stall with your back toward the light source, and the shower stream in front of you.

5. Hold the mirror on the far side of the shower stream, and look into it.

6. Hold the mirror in a place where the shower stream in front of it appears plentiful in the mirror, so at least one of your eyes appears obscured by the water in the shower stream.

7. The light source behind you should NOT be visible in the mirror, so you may have to make some fine adjustments.

8. For example, the shower stream tends to be more plentiful higher up toward the shower head, and if you hold the mirror up there you probably won't see the light source in the mirror, so that is probably a good way to try it (this worked for me just now as I was testing it in a different shower).

9. Keep looking at your eyes as you try finding the best location for the mirror and yourself.

10. You should see a black dot over at least one of your pupils, (maybe both if you're lucky), and it will be there despite the fact that the shower stream appears to be covering your eye, in fact the black dot appears to cut through, or hover in front of, the shower stream.

 

[Beaconator]

I noticed this strange optical phenomenon when using a mirror in the shower, and I can't figure out the physics of what is going on. If anyone can explain this satisfactorily, I will be very impressed.

To see this strange optical phenomenon yourself, all you should need is a small mirror and a bathroom shower. There is also a light in the ceiling of the shower, which is probably an LED, but I think this should work in any shower. The effect is especially noticeable for me, because I have dark brown eyes, but I think it should be also be noticeable with any color eyes.

I made a few sketches so you can see exactly what to look for.

1. The sketch below is what I see when I look at myself with the mirror held in front of the shower stream:

2. The sketch below is what I would expect to see when I look at myself with the mirror held behind the shower stream:

3. The sketch below is what I actually see when I look at myself with the mirror held behind the shower stream:

Notice how the pupils in the eyes are fully dark, as if they are hovering in front of the shower stream instead of behind it. This effect surely must be related to the fact that the pupils are where the light is entering my eyes to create the image that I am seeing. But what exactly is going on here? It seems like the image of the shower water is being cancelled out by its own reflection, but only where the pupils are for some reason?

Please explain, thank you.

Your possessed and need an exorcism.