Have you ever looked through an electric fan and seen a shimmering pattern of light and dark areas around the center? This is a type of optical illusion called a moiré (pronounced mwar-ay). It happens when two see-through patterns of lines overlap, like the wires on the front and back of the fan.
Try this easy experiment to make your own moiré patterns!
Ingredients:
- Plastic canvas – used in needlepoint
- Lazy susan
- Scissors
- Black paint
- Sponge
- Smartphone – optional
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
STEP 5
If you have trouble seeing the patterns, ask a friend to take a video of you spinning the lazy susan from directly above. In a video, you can see the patterns moiré clearly!
