The celestial image of a polyhedron
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We want now to discuss the celestial image of a polyhedron,
and use it to get yet another proof of Descartes's angle-defect formula.
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What pattern is traced out on the celestial sphere when you move a
flashlight around on the surface of a cube, keeping its tail as flat
as possible on the surface? What is the celestial pattern for a dodecahedron?
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On a convex polyhedron,
the celestial image of a region containing a solitary vertex where three faces
meet is a triangle.
Show that the three angles of this celestial triangle
are the supplements of the angles of the three faces
that meet at .
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Show that the area of this celestial triangle is the angle defect at .
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Show that the total angle defect of a convex polyhedron is .
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Up: Geometry and the Imagination
Previous: Gaussian curvature
Peter Doyle