Light & Optics
Kaleidoscope
How many images can one mirror create?
Even the smallest movements create new symmetrical patterns. The kaleidoscope vividly demonstrates how mirrors can produce countless images from just a few objects.
The Science Behind It
A classic kaleidoscope uses this principle of multiple reflections. The angle between the mirrors determines how often the image repeats; at 60°, as here, six symmetrical segments appear. The same mathematics of mirror symmetry also appears in crystallography and in many ornaments throughout art history.