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.
Abstract:
Apparatus and methods for finding and identifying objects in a nighttime sky include a lighted map arrangement (27, 28), an electronic compass (24), and means to operate (14-23) and view (25, 28, 31) the apparatus in the dark to either find the object in the nighttime sky or to identify (13) an object observed in the nighttime sky. The apparatus (24, 25) and methods provide for orientation as to the physical geographical location of the viewer and the current date and time (13, 19, 22, 23), as well as orientation of the viewing apparatus relative to the viewer and the nighttime sky (19, 22, 23).
Abstract:
The disclosed planisphere has three superimposed sheets (1, 2, 3). The lower sheets represent the two planispheres, the terrestrial (1) and the celestial (2) planispheres which are joined by a common rotation center (4) coinciding with the poles. The upper sheet (3), which is transparent as is (2), is excentric with respect to the prior ones since its rotation center is the pole of the ecliptic (5) situated in the parallel 66.5 of the celestial planisphere (2). Said sheet (3) is intended to mark out on the terrestrial planisphere (1) the areas which are illuminated (6) or which are not illuminated (7) by the sun (8). It has scientific-didactic applications since it simulates the night-day succession and the process of the seasons, while relating the positon of the stars and the height of the sun at midday with respect to places on earth. It also has industrial applications since it can be used as a watch face. Alternatives of said planisphere are obtained by suppressing any one of its three components or by providing said components as the surfaces of spherical caps.