Degenerations of Pascal lines (Q6174575)

The paper addresses issues of degeneration of the Pascal line when some of the six points on a conic coincide. When two of them coincide, the situation is evident as one of the lines defining the Pascal line becomes the tangent to the conic, but when three of them overlap, the problem is more complex. The authors find the indeterminacy locus where the Pascal line is not well-defined and then use blow-ups along polydiagonals to define it. While statements are clear to non-experts, the proofs assume knowledge of algebraic geometry. The authors tackled some questions about the indeterminacy of other geometric elements in Pascal's hexagrammum mysticum that concern the Steiner and the Kirkman points. Some open questions on degenerations for the Octagrammum Mysticum case are raised.