Remarkable 'ghost sea' seen 1,500 miles from coast in China

Video footage shows the bizarre 'ghost sea' in a vast Chinese desert.
The mirage appeared on May 30 on the edge of the Flaming Mountains in Shanshan County.
Footage shows tourists on a viewing platform taking pictures of the phenomenon.
In the footage, ripples almost looking like crashing waves can be seen in the distance.
According to CGTN, the wave effect occurs when light rays penetrate air layers of a different density. They then reflect to show an image of far away objects.
This is often referred to as a 'Fata Morgana'.
A Fata Morgana is a type of mirage that distort distance objects, and can be can be seen on land or sea.
It is a common occurrence in Xinjiang province in the far north west of China. Visitors can see the mirage from May to October when the weather is rather warm.
The Flaming Mountains are located in the north of Turpan. It is the hottest place in China with the highest temperature reaching around 47 degrees in summer.
The mountains are located in the most inaccessible region on earth and is some 1,550 miles away from the nearest coastline.
The area was made popular thanks to a classical Chinese novel, The Journey to the West which was later turned into a film.