raven
Jupiter
That ain't Earth, kiddies.
Posts: 509
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Post by raven on Feb 13, 2009 4:56:14 GMT -4
Firstly, as most of you likely know by now, I am not a conspiracy theorist. However, I also don't exactly have a lot of training. So on certain subjects related, especially optics and orbital mechanics, I am just about as ignorant as your average conspiracy theorist. And my lack of training means math rich answers mean less then nothing to me. So when confronted with these kinds of questions, I can't answer. In this case, I am asking about the multiple reflections the hoax conspiracy theorists claim come from multiple light sources. Multiple light sources, yeah, multiple shadows. That much I get. But multiple lights in the visors?
What is up with that?
Thanks in advance, you guys and gals are great.
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Bob B.
Bob the Excel Guru?
Posts: 3,072
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Post by Bob B. on Feb 13, 2009 9:25:36 GMT -4
I suppose it really needs to be looked at on a case by case basis; however, one of the leading explanations is that the multiple images are the reflections off the multiple surfaces of the visor. For instance, the following photo shows how easily the bubble helmets created multiple reflections – note how we see double reflections of all the light fixtures. history.nasa.gov/alsj/a12/ap12-KSC-69PC-579HR.jpgThe following is another photo showing how commonplace multiple reflections can be in a normal every day situation – note the woman’s reflection in the glass pane behind her. www.braeunig.us/pics/reflection01.jpg |
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Post by donnieb on Feb 15, 2009 11:01:44 GMT -4
Whenever light makes a transition from one material to another, there is a chance for reflection and/or refraction. The only exception is when the two materials have identical indexes of refraction.
That means the helmets typically have four opportunities: the front and back surface of the gold visor, and the front and back surface of the Lexan bubble helmet. You might also count the front and back surface of the gold plating on the visor, but that's too thin to produce much visible effect.
There are also cases where the number of opportunities gets multiplied. Think of a light ray that enters the front of the visor, passes unreflected all the way to the innermost plane, and then reflects back outward. Now it passes back through the helmet, with several more chances to refract or reflect.
This is one reason why computer graphics can fail to look realistic, or (conversely) may take tremendous computer power to achieve realism. It takes a lot of number crunching to calculate all those reflections and refractions.
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