Aero-optic imaging deviation research is carried out for infrared-guided vehicle with cone-head side window, with a focus on the propagation characteristics of light in an aero-optic flow field. When the light entering the aero-optic flow field from the free-stream should be close to the normal, numerous data indicate that the light is refracted away from the normal. This paper divides the aero-optic flow field into two parts and uses the gas density distribution in the aero-optic flow field to propose the hypothesis that there are two modes of refraction when light propagates through the flow field. The results show that light propagates from the optically denser medium to the optically thinner medium after passing through the shock wave and eventually leads to refraction away from the normal when the light enters the aero-optic flow field.