Fading Dot

If you stare at this dot, for few moments it disappears.

To do and notice

• Step back a few feet and stare at the dot far awhile without moving your eyes or your head. The dot will gradually fade into the field of green. Some people find that the dot fades more rapidly if they stare blankly at the edge of the square. As soon as you move your head or eyes, notice that the blue reappears.

What's going on?

• Even though your not aware of it, your eye is always making tiny jittery movements. Each time your eye moves it receives new information and sends it to your brain. You need this constant new information to see images.
• 
  You may have noticed that although the dot fades just about everything else in your field of vision remains clear. That's because everything else you see has distinct edges.

Digitally Rendered by Cija Briegleb and Zach Waller, students at San Francisco State University department of Information Arts and Conceptual Design. Contact zwaller@sfsuvax1.sfsu.edu for comments

This page was created by J.T. Schemm of Newton North High School

Comments and suggestions can be sent by e-mail to J.T. Schemm

This page last updated on 06/12/07.