The hot earth warms a layer of air right above the ground. Light is refracted as it passes through the cool air and onto the hot air sheet (bent). A coating of very warm air near the earth bends the light from the sky almost into a U-shaped bend.
Answer: when the ground is very hot and the air is cool. The hot ground warms a layer of air just above the ground. When the light moves through the cold air and into the layer of hot air it is refracted (bent). A layer of very warm air near the ground refracts the light from the sky nearly into a U-shaped bend.
