New England, Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia

The next time you're out walking through the forest, take a moment to look above you at the beautiful trees, and you might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Crown shyness is a naturally occurring phenomenon in some tree species where the upper most branches in a forest canopy avoid touching one another. The visual effect is striking as it creates clearly defined borders akin to cracks or rivers in the sky when viewed from below. Although the phenomenon was first observed in the 1920s, scientists have yet to reach a consensus on what causes it. According to Wikipedia it might simply be caused by the trees rubbing against one another, although…

Tree crowns and branches seem to avoid each other.

Sun Shining Through Canopy Of Tall Trees. Sunlight In Deciduous Forest, Summer Nature. Upper Branches Of Different Deciduous Trees Summer Background

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The glittering, arbor-like structure is named after Fata Morgana, a horizontal mirage that leads sailors to death.