Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

No, I mean, a 2D circle could appear as a line from a certain perspective in 3D space.

Spin up your mental model of a circle in 3D space, look at it from a vector perpendicular from its diameter, rotate it 90 degrees in any other axis but the one you're looking at it; on that 2D projection, it will be a line.




>No, I mean, a 2D circle could appear as a line from a certain perspective in 3D space.

Right, and as a matter of fact that's exactly what we DO see with the Milky Way galaxy. It can be conceived of as a circular disc, more or less, but in our sky we see it from the side, as a streak or a band rather than a disc.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: