optical phenomenon

Other forms: optical phenomena

Definitions of optical phenomenon

1. noun

   a physical phenomenon related to or involving light
   types:

   aberration, distortion, optical aberration

   an optical phenomenon resulting from the failure of a lens or mirror to produce a good image

   absorption band

   a dark band in the spectrum of white light that has been transmitted through a substance that exhibits absorption at selective wavelengths

   diffraction

   when light passes sharp edges or goes through narrow slits the rays are deflected and produce fringes of light and dark bands

   fringe, interference fringe

   one of the light or dark bands produced by the interference and diffraction of light

   incidence

   the striking of a light beam on a surface

   optical illusion

   an optical phenomenon that results in a false or deceptive visual impression

   pleochroism

   the phenomenon of different colors appearing when certain crystals are viewed from different directions

   polarisation, polarization

   the phenomenon in which waves of light or other radiation are restricted in direction of vibration

   parallax

   the apparent displacement of an object as seen from two different points that are not on a line with the object

   Tyndall effect

   the phenomenon in which light is scattered by very small particles in its path; it makes a beam of light visible; the scattered light is mainly blue

   apparent motion, apparent movement, motion, movement

   an optical illusion of motion produced by viewing a rapid succession of still pictures of a moving object

   chromatic aberration

   an optical aberration in which the image has colored fringes

   dichroism

   pleochroism of a crystal so that it exhibits two different colors when viewed from two different directions

   mirage

   an optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects

   spherical aberration

   an optical aberration resulting in a distorted image

   trichroism

   pleochroism of a crystal so that it exhibits three different colors when viewed from three different directions

   X-ray diffraction

   the scattering of X rays by the atoms of a crystal; the diffraction pattern shows structure of the crystal

   annual parallax, heliocentric parallax

   the parallax of a celestial body using two points in the earth's orbit around the sun as the baseline

   diurnal parallax, geocentric parallax

   the parallax of a celestial body using two points on the surface of the earth as the earth rotates

   type of:

   physical phenomenon

   a natural phenomenon involving the physical properties of matter and energy