A six-feature all-sky star-field identification algorithm is developed. The minimum identifiable star-pattern element consists of an oriented star triplet defined by three stars, their celestial coordinates, and their visual magnitudes. The performance of the star-pattern identification algorithm is verified through the use of software simulation.
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Triangles are arranged first in order of increasing brightness for the brightest star I and then in order of increasing star separation. The dashed line separates angular distances that are greater than a specified camera FOV when the bright star is assumed to be located in the center of the field. Most stars with catalog numbers I, K, L, N, and T are within this FOV.
Table 3
Range of Magnitudes for the Brightest Star In the Triangle, Derived from the Catalog Table
Catalog No.
MM
Possible Match for Detected Star 1
M − 1
MM−1
-------------------------------------M1 − ɛM
M
MM
1
M + 1
MM+1
2
M + 2
MM+2
3
M + 3
MM+3
4
M + 4
MM+4
5
⋮
M + K
MM+K
K + 1
------------------------------------M1 + ɛM
M + K + 1
MM+K+1
Table 4
Six-Feature Triangles for Catalog Stars I, K, L, N, S, T, W, and Za
Triangle
Mmin
Msec
Mthrd
dmin
dsec
dthrd
J
MI
MK
ML
dIK
dKL
dIL
J + 1
MI
MK
MN
dIK
dKN
dIN
J + 2
MI
MK
MS
dIK
dKS
dIS
J + 3
MI
MK
MT
dIK
dKT
dIT
J + 4
MI
MK
MW
dIK
dKW
dIW
J + 5
MI
MK
MZ
dIK
dKZ
dIZ
J + 6
MI
ML
MN
dIL
dLN
dIN
J + 7
MI
ML
MS
dIL
dLS
dIS
J + 8
MI
ML
MW
dIL
dLW
dIW
Triangles are arranged first in order of increasing brightness for the brightest star I and then in order of increasing star separation.
Table 5
Difference in the Six-Feature Triangles between Those for the Catalog Stars I, K, L, N, S, T, W, and Z and the First Feature in Table 1, Constructed from Input Data
Triangle
ΔMminMmin − M1
ΔMsecMsec − M2
ΔMthrdMthrd − M3
Δdmindmin − d12
Δdsecdsec − d23
Δdthrddthrd − d13
J
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔML
ΔdIK
ΔdKL
ΔdIL
J + 1
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMN
ΔdIK
ΔdKN
ΔdIN
J + 2
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMS
ΔdIK
ΔdKS
ΔdIS
J + 3
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMT
ΔdIK
ΔdKT
ΔdIT
J + 4
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMW
ΔdIK
ΔdKW
ΔdIW
J + 5
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMZ
ΔdIK
ΔdKZ
ΔdIZ
J + 6
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMN
ΔdIL
ΔdLN
ΔdIN
J + 7
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMS
ΔdIL
ΔdLS
ΔdIS
J + 8
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMW
ΔdIL
ΔdLW
ΔdIW
Table 6
Four Stars Input to the Star-Field Identification Algorithma
Observed Star
Catalog Star
α (degree)
δ (degree)
M
O1
70
4.6976
0.8986
2.23
O2
121
4.2934
1.0734
2.73
O3
131
4.5834
0.9131
2.79
O4
1000
4.45
1.0
2.4
The first three stars are perturbed catalog stars (coordinates and magnitudes are slightly changed), and the fourth star corresponds to an artificially introduced star.
Table 7
Output of the Star-Field Identification Algorithm Using Input from Table 6
Reference Star
Catalog Star
α (degree)
δ (degree)
M
O1
70
4.6986
0.8996
2.3
C1
70
4.6976
0.8986
2.23
O2
121
4.2944
1.0744
2.81
C2
121
4.2934
1.0734
2.73
O3
131
4.5844
0.9141
2.71
C3
131
4.5834
0.9131
2.79
Tables (7)
Table 1
Six-Feature Triangles for Five Brightest Stars in the Camera FOVa
Triangle
Mmin
Msec
Mthrd
dmin
dsec
dthrd
1
M1
M2
M3
d12
d23
d13
2
M1
M2
M4
d12
d14
d24
3
M1
M2
M5
d12
d25
d15
4
M1
M3
M4
d13
d34
d14
5
M1
M3
M5
d13
d35
d15
6
M2
M3
M4
d23
d34
d24
7
M2
M3
M5
d23
d25
d35
8
M2
M4
M5
d24
d25
d45
9
M3
M4
M5
d34
d35
d45
Triangles are arranged first in order of decreasing brightness for the brightest star and then in order of increasing star separation.
Table 2
Six-Feature Triangles for Catalog Stars I, K, L, N, S, T, W, and Za
Triangles are arranged first in order of increasing brightness for the brightest star I and then in order of increasing star separation. The dashed line separates angular distances that are greater than a specified camera FOV when the bright star is assumed to be located in the center of the field. Most stars with catalog numbers I, K, L, N, and T are within this FOV.
Table 3
Range of Magnitudes for the Brightest Star In the Triangle, Derived from the Catalog Table
Catalog No.
MM
Possible Match for Detected Star 1
M − 1
MM−1
-------------------------------------M1 − ɛM
M
MM
1
M + 1
MM+1
2
M + 2
MM+2
3
M + 3
MM+3
4
M + 4
MM+4
5
⋮
M + K
MM+K
K + 1
------------------------------------M1 + ɛM
M + K + 1
MM+K+1
Table 4
Six-Feature Triangles for Catalog Stars I, K, L, N, S, T, W, and Za
Triangle
Mmin
Msec
Mthrd
dmin
dsec
dthrd
J
MI
MK
ML
dIK
dKL
dIL
J + 1
MI
MK
MN
dIK
dKN
dIN
J + 2
MI
MK
MS
dIK
dKS
dIS
J + 3
MI
MK
MT
dIK
dKT
dIT
J + 4
MI
MK
MW
dIK
dKW
dIW
J + 5
MI
MK
MZ
dIK
dKZ
dIZ
J + 6
MI
ML
MN
dIL
dLN
dIN
J + 7
MI
ML
MS
dIL
dLS
dIS
J + 8
MI
ML
MW
dIL
dLW
dIW
Triangles are arranged first in order of increasing brightness for the brightest star I and then in order of increasing star separation.
Table 5
Difference in the Six-Feature Triangles between Those for the Catalog Stars I, K, L, N, S, T, W, and Z and the First Feature in Table 1, Constructed from Input Data
Triangle
ΔMminMmin − M1
ΔMsecMsec − M2
ΔMthrdMthrd − M3
Δdmindmin − d12
Δdsecdsec − d23
Δdthrddthrd − d13
J
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔML
ΔdIK
ΔdKL
ΔdIL
J + 1
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMN
ΔdIK
ΔdKN
ΔdIN
J + 2
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMS
ΔdIK
ΔdKS
ΔdIS
J + 3
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMT
ΔdIK
ΔdKT
ΔdIT
J + 4
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMW
ΔdIK
ΔdKW
ΔdIW
J + 5
ΔMI
ΔMK
ΔMZ
ΔdIK
ΔdKZ
ΔdIZ
J + 6
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMN
ΔdIL
ΔdLN
ΔdIN
J + 7
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMS
ΔdIL
ΔdLS
ΔdIS
J + 8
ΔMI
ΔML
ΔMW
ΔdIL
ΔdLW
ΔdIW
Table 6
Four Stars Input to the Star-Field Identification Algorithma
Observed Star
Catalog Star
α (degree)
δ (degree)
M
O1
70
4.6976
0.8986
2.23
O2
121
4.2934
1.0734
2.73
O3
131
4.5834
0.9131
2.79
O4
1000
4.45
1.0
2.4
The first three stars are perturbed catalog stars (coordinates and magnitudes are slightly changed), and the fourth star corresponds to an artificially introduced star.
Table 7
Output of the Star-Field Identification Algorithm Using Input from Table 6
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