... you say that "Yes light is slowed down by the medium as perceived by us at the macro level - However what actually happens is like ...(the previous explanation given that the apparent slowing of light due to delayed transmission of light through the medium) "
Sridhar
The speed of light is always a constant irrespective of the frame of reference or medium. The apparent slowing down of light due to refraction is due to the fact that the atoms inside the medium absorb the light and then emit the light after some time delay. This time delay in the transmission...
The Lightning Situation...
Well, I feel that the energy from the lightning had caused the heating of air around the person that somehow has modified the otics of the air around the guy and has in turn acted as a lens thus magnifying the sign...
Sridhar
Mirages - A Reflection effect! - a consequence of Refraction
U see, the air does not get heated uniformly. Instead, it gets heated in layers. Thus the optical properties of the diff layers of air will be diff. The light from a distant object rises up, and moves from an optically denser layer to...