My daughter is doing simple optics for a class, and she has explained some things to me. I think that the focus is half-way between the center of the sphere and the mirror. If one is outside of the focal length, the image is real and inverted, and, if one is inside the focal length, virtual (on the other side) and same-side-up, but magnified. If one were very close, it should look flat, I'd guess. If one is at the center, then the image is also at the center, inverted, of the same size. However, my knowledge of this is sketchy. Bill -----Original Message----- From: math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:math-fun-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Dan Asimov Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:55 AM To: math-fun Subject: [math-fun] Inside a spherical mirror What would it look like if one were inside a spherical mirror silvered on the inside? Suppose a you are suspended in mid-air inside the mirror, a bit off-center but with your eye in the same plane, holding a candle for light and looking in the direction of the center. What would you see? I don't know the answer. --Dan _____________________________________________________________________ "It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that certain je ne sais quoi." --Peter Schickele _______________________________________________ math-fun mailing list math-fun@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/math-fun