One problem arising in teaching special relativity is the confusion in many texts of the thought experiments, used in developing the theory, with other simple laboratory operations. As an example we consider here the observation of length. The existence of the Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction has led educators to conclude that oneseesa contraction of a rapidly moving body. However, the act ofseeinginvolves a single observer, while the observation of the Lorentz-Fitzgerald contraction requires at least two observers. It is shown here that the length seen by a single observer is not the usual contraction, and indeed, under certain circumstances, one sees a body considerably lengthened rather than contracted.