Editing Parabolic reflector (section)

{{Short description|Reflector that has the shape of a paraboloid}}
[[File:Solar dish at Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center in Israel.jpg|thumb|One of the world's largest solar parabolic dishes at the [[Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center]] in [[Israel]]]]
[[Image:Paraboloid of Revolution.svg|thumb|right|Circular paraboloid]]

A '''parabolic''' (or '''paraboloid''' or '''paraboloidal''') '''reflector''' (or '''dish''' or '''mirror''') is a [[Mirror|reflective]] surface used to collect or project [[energy]] such as [[light]], [[sound]], or [[radio wave]]s. Its shape is part of a [[circular paraboloid]], that is, the surface generated by a [[parabola]] revolving around its axis. The parabolic reflector transforms an incoming [[plane wave]] travelling along the axis into a [[spherical wave]] converging toward the focus. Conversely, a spherical wave generated by a [[point source]] placed in the [[focus (optics)|focus]] is reflected into a plane wave propagating as a [[collimated beam]] along the axis.

Parabolic reflectors are used to collect energy from a distant source (for example sound waves or incoming [[star]] light). Since the principles of [[Specular reflection|reflection]] are reversible, parabolic reflectors can also be used to collimate radiation from an isotropic source into a parallel [[beam (optics)|beam]].<ref name="AutoVC-2"/>  In [[optics]], [[parabolic mirror]]s are used to gather light in [[reflecting telescope]]s and [[solar furnace]]s, and project a beam of light in [[flashlight]]s, [[searchlight]]s, [[Stage lighting instrument#Spotlights|stage spotlights]], and [[headlight|car headlights]].  In [[radio]], [[parabolic antenna]]s are used to radiate a narrow beam of [[radio wave]]s for [[point-to-point (telecommunications)|point-to-point]] communications in [[satellite dish]]es and [[microwave radio relay|microwave relay]] stations, and to locate aircraft, ships, and vehicles in [[radar]] sets.  In [[acoustics]], [[parabolic microphone]]s are used to record faraway sounds such as [[bird call]]s, in sports reporting, and to eavesdrop on private conversations in [[espionage]] and law enforcement.