Before I set to work on something that I may not be able to do, I
thought I would ask around.

    I want to make a telescope that has a focal length of about 2 to 10
feet, I want it to -really- magnify so that I can observe insects and other
small life without disturbing them.

    To figure out where my lenses should be and what lenses I should have, I
thought I would make a povray macro. I will allow different curvature of
lenses and show the focal points by extending rods from one point on the
lens to another. Then I will move my camera and look through it.

    So my question is, will trace() allow me to do this (Figure out normal
of the rods leaving the lens...I assume it will, if I can figure out the
math) and has it been done before.

    Easy? Medium? Hard? Impossible? I have no previous knowledge of optics
beyond what you get in physics and astronomy.

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Bill DeWitt wrote:
> 
>     Before I set to work on something that I may not be able to do, I
> thought I would ask around.
> 
>     I want to make a telescope that has a focal length of about 2 to 10
> feet, I want it to -really- magnify so that I can observe insects and other
> small life without disturbing them.
> 
>     To figure out where my lenses should be and what lenses I should have, I
> thought I would make a povray macro. I will allow different curvature of
> lenses and show the focal points by extending rods from one point on the
> lens to another. Then I will move my camera and look through it.
> 
>     So my question is, will trace() allow me to do this (Figure out normal
> of the rods leaving the lens...I assume it will, if I can figure out the
> math) and has it been done before.
> 
>     Easy? Medium? Hard? Impossible? I have no previous knowledge of optics
> beyond what you get in physics and astronomy.

I was able to code a few macros based on Snell's Law, and trace() played
a big part in the file. I was doing it to attempt realistic color
dispersion, but it managed to find move a ray through a lens and show
the movement of the ray between mediums with different index of
refractions and different shapes. If I can find it I will send it along.

Josh English
eng### [at] spiritonecom
http://www.spiritone.com/~english

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I have posted IOR.POV in p.b.s-f that may help you with this project.

Josh English
eng### [at] spiritonecom
http://www.spiritone.com/~english

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"Josh English" <eng### [at] spiritonecom> wrote :
>
> I was able to code a few macros based on Snell's Law, and trace() played
> a big part in the file. I was doing it to attempt realistic color
> dispersion, but it managed to find move a ray through a lens and show
> the movement of the ray between mediums with different index of
> refractions and different shapes. If I can find it I will send it along.

    That's exactly what I have spent the last two days trying to make. My
biggest problem is with Snell's Law into pov script I can use with trace
(which is really the whole thing). Not enough math in my background.

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"Josh English" <eng### [at] spiritonecom> wrote in message
news:3C4D95E2.2745FACC@spiritone.com...
> I have posted IOR.POV in p.b.s-f that may help you with this project.

    Thanks, I will take a look.

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