Why is it that when you look up close in a mirror, you can see objects that are on the same plane as the mirror, but aren’t within the range of the mirror’s reflection?

Question

Title might be a bit messily worded here so allow me to elaborate:

Let’s say you have a mirror on the wall and a painting on the same wall that’s some distance away.

Why is it that if you press your face up close to it and look to the side, you can see the painting in the mirror despite the painting being far away and not even on the opposite wall, where it would normally be reflected? How does the mirror know that the painting, as well as everything else on the wall, is there?

In: 0

Answer 1

Well technically if it’s on the exact same plane you shouldn’t be able to see it through the mirror. Your painting probably sticks out a bit from the wall or your mirror isn’t perfectly flat against the wall.