So Curtis L. Olson says: > If the object distance is beyond the focal point, the reflected image > will be inverted. If the object is at the focal point, the reflected > image will hit a singularity. If the object distance is less than the > focal length, the object will be magnified and right-side up.
[...] > Can anyone tell me what stupid thing I am missing? What you are missing is the meaning of the phrase "reflected image". It's *not* whatever you see in the mirror but the point in space where two different rays of light, originating from a single point on the object come back together again. It's the point where you can hold up a piece of paper and see a sharp projection of the object. If the object is in the focal point, the reflected rays will be parallel, so there is no point where they come together, hence the singularity. If the object is further away than the focal point, the reflected rays converge in front of the mirror, making an inverted image. If the object is closer than the focal point the reflected rays will diverge, so there is a virtual image *behind* the mirror, which is right side up. I'd draw you a picture, but in this case ASCII art is woefully inadequate :-) Sorry for the highly unscientific explanation. HTH. Groeten, - Jacco -- +-------------------------+ The time is 23:07 on Thursday July 11 2002. | IRL: Jacco van Schaik | Outside it's 12 degrees with a light breeze | mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | from the south. Inside, xmms is playing | URL: www.frontier.nl | "Seven Wonders" by Fleetwood Mac. +-------------------------+ _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.flightgear.org/mailman/listinfo/flightgear-devel
