Celestial object identification device

• US 20070283583A1
• Filed: 06/07/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamcon Inc.
• Original Assignee: Yamcon Inc.
• Inventors: Subbiondo, John, Crockett, K. David
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,367 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/268
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 27/04 Star maps

Abstract

A celestial object locating device according to the present disclosure enables a user to unambiguously identify one or more stars or other celestial objects. The celestial object locating device may also direct a user to a desired celestial object or objects. The device may be useful for locating or identifying stars, constellations, and deep sky objects without knowing a users location or time of day. The celestial object locating device determines the angle between selected visible stars and compares these angles to angles between known stars to determine the location of all other stars. The device includes a 3-axis magnetic field sensor and a 3-axis gravitational field sensor that operate with a processor and an electronic database to perform the required calculations. The device'"'"'s database may be updated using any suitable method such as flash drives, network connections or other.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a celestial object using a device having a viewing axis comprising the steps:

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a first reference object;

selecting a first reference object and capturing first magnetic data and first altitude data;

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a second reference object;

selecting a second reference object and capturing second magnetic data and second altitude data;

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a third reference object;

selecting a third reference object and capturing third magnetic data and third altitude data;

computing the angles between the first, second and third reference objects using the first, second and third magnetic data and the first, second and third altitude data;

determining the orientation angle of the celestial sphere by comparing the computed angles to a database to unambiguously identify the first reference object, the second reference object and the third reference object;

storing the orientation angle;

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a celestial object of interest;

selecting the celestial object of interest and capturing object magnetic data and object altitude data;

using the orientation angle and the object magnetic data and the object altitude data to identify the celestial object of interest;

presenting information about the celestial object of interest to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of capturing first magnetic data and first altitude data further comprises:

starting a timer;

and the step of capturing second magnetic data and second altitude data further comprises;

capturing first elapsed time;

and the step of capturing third magnetic data and third altitude data further comprises;

capturing second elapsed time;

and the step of computing the angles between the first, second and third reference objects comprises;

computing the angles between the first, second and third reference objects using the first, second and third magnetic data and the first, second and third altitude data, and the first and second elapsed times.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps:

sighting along the viewing axis to sight an unknown object within the ecliptic;

selecting the unknown object and capturing magnetic data and altitude data;

comparing the orientation angle, the magnetic data and the altitude date and solar system object orbital data to determine the identity of the unknown object;

comparing the orientation angle relative to the unknown object to determine local date;

displaying the local date to the user.

4. A device for viewing one or more celestial objects comprising:

means for viewing on a viewing axis defined by an azimuth angle and a nadir angle;

a 3-axis magnetic sensor to determine azimuth data representing the azimuth angle;

a 3-axis gravitational sensor to determine nadir data representing the nadir angle;

a database including data for celestial objects and angular separation data between selected celestial objects;

a processor combining the azimuth data and the nadir data for at least three stars to determine the orientation of the celestial sphere.

5. The device of claim 4 further comprising:

means for determining elapsed time; and

a processor combining the azimuth data, the nadir data and timer data for at least three stars to determine the orientation of the celestial sphere.

6. A method of locating and or identifying a celestial object using a device having a viewing axis comprising the steps:

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a first reference object;

selecting a first reference object and capturing first magnetic data and first altitude data;

sighting along the viewing axis to sight a second reference object;

selecting a second reference object and capturing second magnetic data and second altitude data;

computing the angles between the first and second reference objects using the first and second magnetic data and the first and second altitude data;

determining an orientation angle for the celestial sphere by comparing the computed angle to a database to unambiguously identify the first reference object and the second reference object;

using the orientation angle and magnetic data and altitude data to identify the celestial object.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of capturing first magnetic data and first altitude data further comprises:

starting a timer;

and the step of capturing second magnetic data and second altitude data further comprises;

capturing first elapsed time;

and the step of computing the angles between the first, and second reference objects comprises;

computing the angles between the first and second reference objects using the first and second magnetic data and the first and second altitude data, and the first elapsed time.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

notifying the user that calibration is incomplete and one or more additional reference objects must be selected;

sighting along the viewing axis to sight an additional reference object;

selecting the additional reference object and capturing additional magnetic data and additional altitude data;

computing the angles between the first and second and the one or more additional reference objects using the first, second and additional magnetic data and the first, second and additional altitude data;

determining an orientation angle of the celestial sphere by comparing the computed angles to a database to unambiguously identify the first reference object, the second reference object and the one or more additional reference objects;

using the orientation angle and magnetic data and altitude data to identify the celestial object.