Why can we see shockwaves, and when we see them, what exactly are we really seeing?
In: Physics
A shockwave changes the density of the air, basically turning it into a sort of lens. Light changes direction whenever it passes through a different medium, which is why looking through a glass of water makes things behind it look weird. By compressing and then decompressing the air, the shockwave can bend the light passing through it, making it visible to us.
In moist air, shockwaves can make the water condense out, which leaves a visible disturbance your eye can see. The pressure changes how the water is held in the air.
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