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

摘要

Automatically tracking and photographing celestial objects and a celestial-object auto-tracking photographing apparatus, in which the burden on the CPU can be reduced by eliminating unnecessary arithmetic processes and can clearly photograph an object(s) so as to appear stationary without using an equatorial, and without using an actuator, which must be precisely controlled. The method includes moving relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion, to photograph a trimming area that has been electronically trimmed from a part of an imaging area of an image sensor, moving while the celestial object is photographed, including obtaining movement information of an image on the imaging area; setting movement data for the trimming area based on the obtained movement information of the image; and carrying out a photographing operation while moving the trimming area based on the movement data of the set trimming area at each trimming area, upon being moved.

主权项

1. A method of automatically tracking and photographing a celestial object, which moves relative to a photographic apparatus due to diurnal motion, in which, in order to photograph the celestial object, a trimming area that has been electronically trimmed from a part of an imaging area of an image sensor is moved while the celestial object is photographed, said method comprising:
obtaining movement information of a celestial-object image on said imaging area; setting movement data for said trimming area based on the obtained said movement information of said celestial-object image; setting a cut-out range of said trimming area and photographing time; and obtaining a photographing image at each trimming area while moving said trimming area based on the set said movement data of said trimming area, said cut-out range of said trimming area, and said photographing time, wherein the step of setting a cut-out range of said trimming area and photographing time includes:
cutting out a trimming area that is smaller than said imaging area from said imaging area of said image sensor;calculating a maximum time in which said trimming area can be accommodated within said imaging area of said image sensor as a maximum photographing time, when the cut-out said trimming area is virtually moved based on said movement data of said trimming area; and setting the calculated maximum photographing time as a photographing time.