The Mathematical Skyline

The study of perspective in art has led to a branch of mathematics called projective geometry, which addresses the relationship between landscapes viewed from different locations. One of the key features of the subject is the concept of ‘point at infinity’, which represents the meeting point of parallel lines. The lecture will tackle the question of where to stand in order to photograph the restored four chimneys of Battersea power station equally spaced along the skyline. The answer will take us to the heart of projective geometry, to theorems about conics, and allow us to generate images that are around us on a daily basis.