Finding Length of a line to the surface of a sphere when line does not originate from center.
Here is what I know:
- I have a
3Dsphere of radius $7$ - I have a line (call it
line1) with a known polar and azimuthal angle leaving a point that is shifted from the center/origin $(x_0, y_0, z+0.4)$. - I am trying to determine the distance from the point of origin of
line1to the surface of the sphere.
I had a triangle built that with law of sines worked, but I am realizing the angle in this triangle ($\phi$) should be dependent on both azimuth and polar so am not sure how to get this angle any more. Initially I assumed this angle was just a function of polar (i. e. $90^\circ$-polar) but this only works if azimuthal in along the $z$-axis in the diagram.
