A typical introduction to geometrical optics treats plane and spherical mirrors. At first glance, it may be surprising that texts seldom mention the cylindrical mirror, except for the occasional reference to use in fun houses and to viewing anamorphic art.1,2 However, even a cursory treatment reveals its complexity. Holzberlein used an extended object to qualitatively illustrate that images are produced both before and behind a concave cylindrical mirror.3 He also speculated on how this extreme astigmatism results in an observer's dizziness. By considering a simple point object, we make a more detailed analysis of the cylindrical mirror and the dizziness it induces. First, we illustrate how rays from a point object reflect to form not one point image but two line images. Next, we describe how an observer perceives a likeness of the object. Finally, we suggest how confusing depth cues induce dizziness. Although we focus on the concave cylindrical mirror, the discussion is easy to generalize to the convex cylindrical mirror.
展开▼
