Here are some examples:

* Reading a book about a volcano: While you learn about volcanoes, you are not directly observing one.

* Listening to a friend describe a party they went to: You are hearing about the party secondhand, not experiencing it yourself.

* Imagining a unicorn: This is a mental construct, not a real-world observation.

* Drawing a picture based on memory: You are not directly observing the subject at the moment of drawing.

Key point: Observation relies on the five senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. If you are not using one or more of these senses to perceive something directly, it's not an observation.