Hi Mary,
A bizillion telescopes of the same aperture as yours at the same
distance from the star (or other observed object) will each get its own
dose of photons, producing a virtually identical view (though with
enough resolution, you will see different sunspots from different sides).
Photons are constantly leaving every star in a spherical pattern at
186,284 miles per second.
There's quite a lot of them (photons), isn't there?
Christopher
Mary Farris wrote:
> Hi all-
>
> I've been reading posts for months now, but never wrote. But after
> Mark Wagner sullied my name by saying I was "ho-hum" about T Draconis
> at Coe Saturday night, I thought I'd better post to defend myself- the
> red was indeed a pretty sight! All I did was ask a question about red
> and blue color contrast!
>
> Coe was my first night out with my "new" 15 year old, 17.5" Earl Watts
> dob. I sold my NX11 to finance it, and after Saturday night had
> absolutely no regrets. Didn't miss the tracking or go-to one bit, and
> just was floored by what that extra aperture does for the Veil and
> M42. Still on the eye candy phase of observing- tho now that I have
> the biggest gun I could transport myself, it might be time to start
> working on the lists and see what all that extra aperture is capable
> of showing.
>
> So Saturday over some "enhanced coffee", Mark and I were talking about
> the photon thing, the absolute coolness of that photon traveling for
> gazillions of years, hitting the telescope mirror and then boucing to
> the eye, and how imaging or looking at a computer screen just isn't
> the same thing. Then last night, I had a physics ineptitude thought-
> if I'm looking at the photon bouncing off my mirror, isn't the same
> photon also hitting your mirror (not that I mind sharing...)? I mean,
> it's not like if enough of us in the world look at the same object in
> the same instant that we use up all the photons and one more person
> looking into the sky couldn't see it...although that would explain how
> some objects just refuse to be found on some nights!!! Does
> anyone know enough about photons and physics to explain that one to
> me, especially in a fairly non-technical manner? Or is the same photon
> in a bizillion places at the exact same time?
>
>
> Mary Farris
> farrisfarris@No-Spam <mailto:farrisfarris@No-Spam>
>
>