A captivating video of what appeared to be seven suns in the sky, recorded from a hospital in China, has puzzled viewers across the globe.
The footage, captured by a woman observing the sunset, seemed to depict multiple suns in the sky, creating a scene that many thought was a cosmic phenomenon. However, the minute-long video turned out to be an optical illusion, caused by the refraction of light through the glass window it was filmed through.
This intriguing event was recorded from the 11th floor of a hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan, on August 18. The sun appeared duplicated with varying degrees of brightness, an effect attributed to the way light refracted through the layers of the glass window.
The woman behind the camera, identified as Wang, said viewers were mesmerized by the surreal sight, according to Jam Press. As the video circulated, various theories emerged about how the phenomenon occurred.
One user on the Chinese social media platform Weibo speculated, “This happened due to a magnetic field glitch that made parallel universes visible,” humorously adding, “The Cosmic Bureau has fixed the issue, and those responsible have been reprimanded.”
On Reddit, some users suggested that the fragmented suns were a result of “immense pollution” in China, while another commented, “The truth about global warming has finally been exposed.” One person even quipped, “Will the real Sun shady please rise up?” in a playful reference to Eminem’s hit song “The Real Slim Shady.”
Amidst the speculation, one commenter correctly identified the cause of the phenomenon, explaining, “This is caused by reflection and refraction in the glass of a multi-pane window. Light from the sun bounces between the layers, creating the distinct separation of the reflections.”
Much like seeing a reflection in a mirror, the light was refracted and reflected off the layers of the glass, with each layer producing a duplicate of the sun’s image. The brightest sun in the center was the real one, while the others were part of the optical illusion.
Despite the scientific explanation, some viewers preferred to believe in a more mythological explanation, referencing the story of Hou Yi from Chinese mythology.
In this tale, Hou Yi, a god of archery, was sent from the heavens to save humanity. He is said to have shot down nine of the ten suns that threatened to scorch the earth. The last sun pleaded for its life and was spared, agreeing to divide day and night as punishment for nearly destroying the world.
