Why does the sun look like it is dipping down into and rising out from the Earth’s surface when it’s viewed from a plane?

Question

I notice that the sun, and sometimes the moon when setting, it seems to be sinking down into the Earth’s surface.

It happens when you travel over 30,000 ft in the air; that illusion doesn’t happen then you are lower.

It’s obvious the Earth isn’t flat; moon and sun are in space, so what causes that illusion?

In: 0

Answer 1

The sun and moon are bright light sources, which throws off your depth perception and reduces your ability to resolve fine detail. This is why they seem to sink into the surface of the earth rather than simply disappearing behind it.