2007-08-19 08:41:41 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Yes, it could. What you're describing is called a solar furnace. Only people generally use a parabolic mirror instead of a refracting lens, but the result is the same. And they don't just work in space, people have built them here on Earth already. Under the right conditions, a solar furnace can even melt steel.
2007-08-19 08:52:31 · answer #1 · answered by stork5100 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The problem that you seem to miss here in this question is that most magnifying glasses you can buy in a store are no more than five or six inches in diameter. Bigger than 6 inches begins to cost a lot of money, and the weight of the glass gets significant rather quickly also.
It is far easier to accomplish the same thing using a curved mirror of whatever size you need to develop the required temperatures. With a curved mirror you could go up to 20 or 30 feet in diameter for instance and produce some really hot zones at the focus point. The exact temperatures will depend upon available sunlight, cloud cover, fine-ness of morror, and air flow (wind) arouind the focus point.
2007-08-19 18:48:04 · answer #2 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but a mirror is easier than a magnifying glass. The mirror is lighter and much thinner.
2007-08-19 18:24:40 · answer #3 · answered by ngc7331 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends what you mean by "outer space".
If you mean in the region around earth,
Yes, but you'd have better luck with a mirror,
it would have to be bigger than your average lens.
If you mean out beyond Pluto, that mirror would
have to be very large indeed.
2007-08-19 15:53:36 · answer #4 · answered by Irv S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋