fata morgana

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The Word of the Day for November 4 is:=20

fata morgana   \fah-tuh-mor-GAH-nuh\   noun
     : mirage=20

Example sentence:
          =E2=80=9CAfter driving for days,=E2=80=9D wrote Marisol, =E2=80=
=9Cwe finally caught sight of the Rocky Mountains, rising above the hori=
zon like a fata morgana.=E2=80=9D

Did you know?
          =E2=80=9CFata Morgana=E2=80=9D is the Italian name for Morgan =
le Fay (meaning "Morgan the Fairy"), a sorceress of medieval legends. Th=
is sister of the legendary King Arthur is sometimes portrayed as the rul=
er of the island paradise Avalon and is said to have had a number of mag=
ical powers, with which she caused a great deal of trouble. Among her po=
wers, say some versions of the legend, was the ability to change shape, =
and she has been blamed for causing complex mirages over bodies of water=
, especially in the Strait of Messina. Today we know that such optical i=
llusions are really caused by atmospheric conditions, but we still somet=
imes use "fata morgana" as a synonym of "mirage."





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