653b0d0c   
   XPost: sci.physics, sci.optics   
   From: webbfamily@DIESPAMDIEoptusnet.com.au   
      
   "RichD"  wrote in message   
   news:f9cff369-ee81-4265-bb68-58ae1eac33c5@m23g2000prl.googlegroups.com...   
   > This may be a dumb question, I never studied acoustics....   
   >   
   > If you look into the wrong end of a telescope,   
   > everything looks reduced, 'anti-magnified'.   
   > Is there anything analogous acoustically?   
   >   
   > In both cases, the phenomena is described   
   > by wave equations -   
   >   
   > --   
   > Rich   
      
   This thread is bugging me enormously.   
      
   Because its certainly not a dumb question, and despite having an interest in   
   these subjects it has never occurred to me. And I don't know the answer.   
      
   I'm not sure the question has any meaning beyond imaging, and sound waves   
   aren't typically used for imaging.   
      
   You could in principle build sound lenses, but in practice mirrors or phased   
   arrays (as in sonar) would be more practical. You could artificially   
   simulate any optical effect in this manner, but as far as I know there is no   
   practical use for looking down the wrong end of a telescope even when using   
   light, let alone sound.   
      
   I know lots of places where light refraction and reflection is used in   
   nature, from eyes to fish scales, and lots of places where sound reflection   
   is used (every large animal's ear, bats etc), but none where sound   
   refraction is used.   
      
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