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Method of automatically tracking and photographing celestial objects, and celestial-object auto-tracking photographing apparatus

  • US 8,761,460 B2
  • Filed: 06/12/2012
  • Issued: 06/24/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object, which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion, while moving an imaging area on an imaging surface of an image sensor so that an image of said celestial object, which is formed on said imaging surface of said image sensor via a photographing optical system, becomes stationary relative to said imaging area of said imaging surface during a tracking and photographing operation, said method comprising:

  • calculating, based on information on motion of said celestial object image on said imaging area, theoretical linear movement amounts of said imaging area in directions orthogonal to an optical axis per a specified period of time and a theoretical rotational angle amount of said imaging area about an axis parallel to said optical axis per said specified period of time;

    obtaining a movable-amount data table which stores data on actual linearly-movable amounts of said imaging area in said directions orthogonal to said optical axis from a reference posture position of said imaging area and an actual rotatable amount of said imaging area about said axis parallel to said optical axis from said reference posture position in a range of movement of said imaging area; and

    setting an exposure time for completing a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing operation while moving said imaging area within said range of movement thereof by comparing said theoretical linear movement amounts and said theoretical rotational angle amount of said imaging area per said specified period of time with said actual linearly-movable amounts and said actual rotatable amount of said imaging area that are stored in said movable-amount data table, respectively.

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