If you pointed your telescope...

[Naemeth]

If you pointed your telescope straight on to a mirror (parallel to the ground), would you see your own eye?

I was just wondering, the things you think of when you think it's going to be clear and then the clouds roll in...

[SeedyF]

maybe, but you would never be able to bring it to focus would you? I need to focus on something several hundred metres away to get it clear - at the maximum travel my focuser has. Anything nearby I just can't focus on.

[John]

Assuming you could reach focus, you would only see an image of your eye with an unobstructed scope, ie: a refractor. With other designs you would see a view of the topside of the secondary mirror holder.

I think ....

[Naemeth]

I was thinking it would be impossible to get focus, perhaps I should set up a big mirror across the street, perhaps that would do.

[badgerchap]

If you wanna see your eye so bad, why not just skip the scope and look in the mirror

I reckon even if you were to see your eye through a refractor, it would be exactly the same size as if you were to see a reflection of your eye from the same distance. The light path would presumably undergo the same process twice, but once in reverse, negating any magnification. Also, you'd probably just get reflection from the primary obscuring the view....

[faulksy]

or why dont you get a web cam riged up and get your missis to point it at your eye, then you can view it later on your p.c

[Parallax]

Talking of eyes and mirrors... here's an interesting thing to try -

Stand in front of a mirror and, without moving your head, shift your gaze to look at your right eye then your left. Repeat a few times. Did you see your eyes move?

Now video yourself doing it. Your eyes definitely do move, it's just that they 'switch off' whilst moving. Apparently we are effictively 'blind' for about 2 hours a day!

Steve