Originally Posted By: Pete
I'm still trying to figure out why the handheld parabolic dish would be any better than a simple magnifying glass - if your goal is to start a fire using the sun.
The effectiveness depends on the size - on the amount of light it can gather and bring to a point. It's easier to make a 4.5" mirror than a 4.5" lens, because the mirror doesn't have to be transparent all the way through.
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