Live data from Hacker News

Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

petapixel.com

1–10 of 219 posts

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#5
post #4

Will this have any implications for astronomy?

I don't see any figures comparing the error of the formula with the previous error from numerical methods. While mathematically the discovery seems significant, it isn't clear to me this will actually improve lenses.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#6
post #2

This was extremely well written. Not being a photographer myself, the mathematical discussion and subsequent impact to optics/photography are very accessible. Kudos to the author!

It's good until the last sentence that circlejerks about 1 memory card slot.

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#8
> In this equation we describe how the shape of the second aspherical surface of the given lens should be given a first surface, which is provided by the user, as well as the object-image distance [...] (emphasis mine)

I didn't check out the paper in detail, sounds like the shape of the correction surface depends on the distance to what you're imaging? Does it do so in a non-trivial way? If so, this sounds a bit more like an academic victory, no?

Re: Goodbye Aberration: Physicist Solves 2,000-Year-Old Optical Problem

#10

I laughed when they tried to translate "Madres!" , but a pissed off Latina mother running at you waving her sandal in the air like a medieval warrior swinging a truncheon is definitely an "Oh shit" moment.

My understanding is that centuries ago in Latin America "madre" became an euphemism for "madame of a brothel", while actual moms are called "mamá". In Spain it carries no such connotation.
Post reply on HN