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[Phys-L] telescope mirrors



I'm curious about something. I tell my (high school) astronomy students
that reflecting telescopes are made by melting glass and then rotating it
at high speed while the glass solidifies. The result is always a parabolic
surface. How can one show, in simple terms (no calculus), that the surface
of a spinning liquid is a parabola? I am also wondering what the "limit"
would be as the spin rate becomes"very fast." Any help would be much
appreciated!
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