I think this is a very fundamental optical illusion with a focus on optical, where air temperature bends light so makes you perceive something different from wh

I think this is a very fundamental optical illusion with a focus on optical, where air temperature bends light so makes you perceive something different from what it actually is. It's much more related to optics than direct perception. Your brain is drawing the correct image its received, the light has just been bent so that it doesn't form an accurate representation of what you're trying to see.