Math Is Fun Forum

John E. Franklin

Member

Registered: 2005-08-29

Posts: 3,588

it's relative: sun & eye

Caution: don't do this if you
can't move your eyes quickly,
or else you might damage your
eyesight from the blinding sun.

If it is a bright sunny day, and you look
just a degree off from the sun and quickly
move your eyes in a counter-clockwise
spiral around the sun, getting further
and further from the sun, then...

Then when you shut your eyes, you should
see the afterglow, but guess what?
The spiral should now be clockwise, not
counter-clockwise because it's all
relative! 

If I am wrong, tell me why?

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igloo myrtilles fourmis

John E. Franklin

Member

Registered: 2005-08-29

Posts: 3,588

Re: it's relative: sun & eye

Actually, I'm wrong.
It is still counter-clockwise, but the
image is rotated 180 degrees or pi
radians around with the sun as the center.
I am nearly sure now because I did a simple
test where I look upward from the sun,
and then rightward, and the afterglow
went down and to the left from
eye center point when eye is closed.
Warning again, don't try this unless you
are old and fast.

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igloo myrtilles fourmis