Telescope and method for positioning and aiding star finding for a telescope

Abstract

The application provides a telescope and a telescope positioning method, wherein a geomagnetic sensor and a gravity accelerometer of the telescope are used to detect geomagnetic field information and a gravity direction, a horizontal coordinate system is established based on the geomagnetic field information, and an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system are determined based on the gravity direction and the horizontal coordinate system, so that preliminary positioning of the telescope is realized, and learning and use of beginners are facilitated.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of telescopes, and in particular, to a telescope and a positioning method and an auxiliary star-finding method for the telescope. BACKGROUND

[0002] A telescope for astronomical observation has a very limited field of view due to its large magnification, and thus traditionally requires a star finder with a larger field of view to find a star with known coordinates, so as to initially position the telescope. However, the use of the star finder is very difficult. First, in order to use the star finder, the observation direction of the star finder needs to be adjusted to be consistent with the observation direction of the telescope; second, even the star finder has a limited field of view, and the use of the star finder requires the user to have rich astronomical knowledge and skilled telescope use skills. The traditional use of the star finder to initially position the telescope makes many beginners feel intimidated to use the telescope.

[0003] It is urgent to provide a telescope initial positioning technology that does not rely on a star finder and a technology that does not rely on a star finder to assist a telescope in finding a target star point. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to provide a telescope and a positioning method and an auxiliary star-finding method for the telescope, which can at least partially overcome the deficiencies in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present application, a telescope positioning method is provided, which comprises: detecting geomagnetic field information by using a geomagnetic sensor of the telescope; detecting a gravity direction by using a gravity accelerometer of the telescope; and determining an azimuth of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and determining an altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system based on the gravity direction.

[0006] Preferably, the method can further comprise: establishing the horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction.

[0007] Preferably, the method can further comprise: acquiring a real-time time and a longitude and latitude of a location where the telescope is located; and determining an initial orientation of the telescope based on the longitude and latitude, the real-time time, and the azimuth and the altitude in the horizontal coordinate system, the initial orientation comprising an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in an equatorial coordinate system.

[0008] Preferably, the method can further comprise: determining a target star point, acquiring an azimuth and an altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system; and after adjusting the telescope to be aligned with the target star point based on the initial orientation of the telescope, calibrating an orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth and the altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0009] Preferably, the method can further comprise: in the process of adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation to align the target star point, issuing a warning information to the user through the telescope when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold.

[0010] Preferably, the issuing of the warning information can comprise: giving a somatosensory prompt by using a direct drive motor of the telescope, wherein the direct drive motor is a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope; and / or providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and giving the warning information through the augmented reality display.

[0011] Preferably, the somatosensory prompt can comprise a resistance against the user's manual rotation of the telescope, which increases as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold.

[0012] Preferably, the method can further comprise: acquiring a plurality of different sky images of the target star point and its surrounding area; and in the process of adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation to align the target star point, providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and displaying the sky images for guiding the adjustment.

[0013] Preferably, the determining of a target star point can comprise: setting a deviation threshold, determining a target range according to the deviation threshold with the initial orientation of the telescope as the center; and determining a star point located in the target range as the target star point.

[0014] Preferably, the target range is a range within the field of view of the telescope at the initial orientation.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present application, there is also provided a telescope comprising: a geomagnetic sensor, a gravity accelerometer, and an initial positioning module, the geomagnetic sensor being configured to detect geomagnetic field information, the gravity accelerometer being configured to detect a gravity direction, and the initial positioning module being configured to receive the geomagnetic field information from the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity direction from the gravity accelerometer, and to determine an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction.

[0016] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a lens barrel, and the relative positions of the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity accelerometer with respect to the lens barrel are fixed.

[0017] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a lens barrel and a horizontal rotation mechanism, the horizontal rotation mechanism having a fixed stage and a rotating stage, the rotating stage being connected to the lens barrel and rotating horizontally with the lens barrel, and the relative position of the geomagnetic sensor with respect to the lens barrel being fixed.

[0018] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a pitch mechanism, the lens barrel being connected to the rotating stage through the pitch mechanism, and the gravity accelerometer being fixed to the lens barrel.

[0019] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a first encoder and a second encoder, the first encoder being connected to the horizontal rotation mechanism and configured to detect a horizontal rotation angle of the rotation platform, and the second encoder being connected to the elevation mechanism and configured to detect an elevation rotation angle of the optical tube.

[0020] Preferably, the initial positioning module can be further configured to determine an initial orientation of the telescope according to the real-time time and the longitude and latitude of the location of the telescope, the initial orientation comprising an azimuth angle and an altitude of the telescope in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0021] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a star finding calibration module configured to: determine a target star point, and obtain an azimuth angle and an altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system; and after adjusting the telescope to align with the target star point based on the initial orientation of the telescope, calibrate the orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth angle and the altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0022] Preferably, the star finding calibration module can be further configured to: during the process of adjusting the telescope to align with the target star point based on the initial orientation, when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold, send a warning message to the user.

[0023] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise a direct drive motor, the direct drive motor being a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope, and the warning message sent by the star finding calibration module to the user can comprise a haptic cue given by the direct drive motor.

[0024] Preferably, the haptic cue can comprise a resistance to the user's manual rotation of the telescope that increases as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold.

[0025] Preferably, the telescope can further comprise an augmented reality display device, the image displayed by the augmented reality display device being presented to the user via the eyepiece of the telescope, and the warning message sent by the star finding calibration module to the user can comprise a visual cue displayed by the augmented reality display device.

[0026] Preferably, the star finding calibration module can be further configured to: obtain a plurality of different sky images of the target star point and its surrounding area; and during the process of adjusting the telescope to align with the target star point based on the initial orientation, display the sky images by the augmented reality display device for guiding the adjustment.

[0027] Preferably, the telescope can not have an interface for engaging with a finder scope.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present application, there is also provided an auxiliary star finding method for a telescope, comprising: obtaining a current orientation of the telescope and an azimuth and an altitude of a target star point in an equatorial coordinate system; and in the process of adjusting the telescope to aim at the target star point based on the current orientation, issuing a warning information to a user when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold.

[0029] Preferably, the issuing of the warning information can comprise: giving a somatosensory cue by using a direct drive motor of the telescope, wherein the direct drive motor is a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope; and / or providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and giving the warning information through the augmented reality display.

[0030] Preferably, the somatosensory cue can comprise a resistance against the user's manual rotation of the telescope, which increases as the user's manual adjustment of the telescope exceeds the adjustment threshold.

[0031] Preferably, the method can further comprise: obtaining a plurality of different sky region images of the target star point and a surrounding area thereof; and in the process of adjusting the telescope to aim at the target star point, providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and displaying the sky region images for guiding the adjustment.

[0032] According to the embodiment of the present application, the geomagnetic field information and the gravity acceleration information are detected by using a geomagnetic sensor and a gravity accelerometer of the telescope to determine the azimuth and the altitude of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system, so that the orientation of the telescope can be automatically preliminarily positioned, which facilitates the learning and use of beginners. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0033] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments thereof as read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0034] Figure 1 A flow chart of a telescope positioning method according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 2 An illustrative diagram of a horizontal coordinate system;

[0036] Figure 3 A schematic block diagram of a telescope according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 4 A structural schematic diagram of an example of a telescope according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0038] Figure 5 A flow chart of an example of a telescope positioning method according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein a calibration is made based on a real-time time and a longitude and a latitude of a location where the telescope is located;

[0039] Figure 6 a flowchart of another example of a telescope positioning method according to an embodiment of the present application, wherein calibration is performed by star finding;

[0040] Figure 7 a flowchart of a method for selecting a target star point for the method shown in Figure 6

[0041] Figure 8 schematically shows a method for selecting a target star point according to the method shown in Figure 7

[0042] Figure 9 schematically shows an example of star finding assistance that can be used in the method shown in Figure 6

[0043] Figure 10 a schematic block diagram of another example of a telescope according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] The present application will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely intended for the purpose of explanation and are not intended to limit the present application. For the purpose of description, only parts related to the present application are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0045] It should be noted that the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other without conflict. The present application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0046] First, a telescope positioning method 100 according to an embodiment of the present application will be described. As shown in Figure 1 Figure 1 the telescope positioning calibration method comprises:

[0047] S110: detecting geomagnetic field information by using a geomagnetic sensor of the telescope;

[0048] S120: detecting a gravity direction by using a gravity accelerometer of the telescope; and

[0049] S130: determining an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system based on the detected geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction.

[0050] ​​​​In process S110, the geomagnetic sensor of the telescope is used to detect geomagnetic field information. A geomagnetic sensor is a measuring device that uses the different motion states of a measured object in the geomagnetic field to sense changes in the distribution of the geomagnetic field, thereby indicating information such as the object's attitude and angle of motion. In process S110, the geomagnetic field information that can be detected using the telescope's geomagnetic sensor includes at least the direction of extension of the geomagnetic field lines at the telescope's location, and the angle between the telescope's orientation and the geomagnetic field lines.

[0051] In process S120, the direction of gravity can be detected using the telescope's accelerometer, and the tilt angle of the telescope can be determined based on the direction of gravity. It should be noted that, for ease of description in this embodiment, process S120 is placed after process S110, but there is no dependency relationship between process S110 and process S120. The execution order of the two can be reversed, or they can be executed simultaneously, etc.

[0052] In processing S130, since the geomagnetic field information and gravity direction are already known, the telescope's azimuth and altitude in the horizontal coordinate system can be determined based on the geomagnetic field information. The azimuth in the horizontal coordinate system refers to longitude above the horizon; the altitude refers to latitude above the horizon. For ease of understanding, in... Figure 2 The diagram shows an illustrative representation of the horizontal coordinate system. Figure 2 In the diagram, point O is the location of the telescope, and point M is the telescope's orientation. The azimuth angle in the horizontal coordinate system refers to the angle required to rotate clockwise around the telescope O within the horizon circle, starting from the north point N, to the projection of M onto the horizon circle. For example... Figure 2 In the horizontal coordinate system, the azimuth angle pointing towards M is angle A, or the longitude of the horizon pointing towards M is A. Altitude in the horizontal coordinate system refers to the angle between the telescope's orientation or the direction of a celestial body and the plane containing the horizon. Figure 2 In this context, the angle between the telescope's orientation M and the plane containing the horizon is h, meaning the telescope's height is angle h, or the telescope's latitude on the horizon is angle h.

[0053] Regarding azimuth, since the directions of the magnetic field lines can be used to roughly determine the locations of the magnetic south and north poles, the azimuth of the horizon circle and its south and north points in the horizontal coordinate system can be determined based on these directions. Then, the azimuth of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system can be determined by the angle between the telescope's orientation and the magnetic field lines. Regarding altitude, since the telescope's tilt angle (acute angle) relative to the direction of gravity is complementary to its altitude in the horizontal coordinate system, the telescope's altitude in the horizontal coordinate system can be determined by considering the direction of gravity and the telescope's tilt angle relative to it.

[0054] In this way, through the above processing, the azimuth and altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system are obtained, and the initial positioning of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system is completed, facilitating the user to use the telescope.

[0055] From the above description and analysis, it can also be clearly known that, in the method 100, the azimuth and altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system are obtained, and a horizontal coordinate system can also be established based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction. The horizontal coordinate system contains the positions of the horizon, the gravity direction, and the south point and the north point, and can be used for assisting in determining the position of the indication line in the virtual reality display, forming a corresponding projection image, and the like.

[0056] The following will be described in conjunction with Figure 3 and Figure 4 a telescope suitable for the telescope positioning method provided by the present application.

[0057] Figure 3 is a schematic block diagram of a telescope 10 according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 3 , the telescope 10 includes a geomagnetic sensor 11, a gravity accelerometer 12, and an initial positioning module 13. The geomagnetic sensor 11 is configured to detect geomagnetic field information. The gravity accelerometer 12 is configured to detect the gravity direction. The initial positioning module 13 receives the geomagnetic field information from the geomagnetic sensor 11 and the gravity direction from the gravity accelerometer 12, and is configured to determine the azimuth and altitude of the telescope 10 in the horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction. The functions of the initial positioning module 13 can be implemented by, for example, a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory; from the perspective of hardware devices, the initial positioning module 13 can include separate devices, can be integrated with other processing modules (if any), or can share part of the hardware devices with other processing modules. It should be understood that the present application is not limited in terms of the constitution of the initial positioning module 13.

[0058] In some embodiments, the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity accelerometer are installed to have fixed positions relative to the lens barrel of the telescope, for example, can be installed on the lens barrel of the telescope. In this way, both of them can directly follow the rotation of the lens barrel, so as to obtain more accurate azimuth and altitude.

[0059] In other embodiments, the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity accelerometer can also have other installation manners. For example, Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of an example of a telescope according to an embodiment of the present application. As shown in Figure 4As shown, the telescope 10A includes a horizontal rotation mechanism 14, which includes a fixed platform 14a (fixed relative to the ground) and a rotating platform 14b. The rotating platform 14b is connected to the telescope tube 10a and rotates horizontally synchronously with the telescope tube 10a. The geomagnetic sensor 11 is mounted on the rotating platform 14b.

[0060] like Figure 4 As shown, the telescope 10A may also include a pitch mechanism 15. The telescope tube 10a is connected to the rotary table 14b of the horizontal rotation mechanism via the pitch mechanism 15, and a gravity accelerometer 12 is mounted on the telescope tube 10a. It should be understood that the gravity accelerometer 12 can also be mounted on the pitch mechanism 15, so that it can similarly follow and measure the changes of the telescope tube 10a in the pitch direction (i.e., the height direction in the horizontal coordinate system).

[0061] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the telescope 10A may also include a first encoder 16a and a second encoder 16b, wherein the first encoder 16a is connected to the horizontal rotation mechanism 14 and is used to detect the horizontal rotation angle of the rotating stage 14b relative to the fixed stage 14a, and the second encoder 16b is connected to the telescope tube 10a and is used to detect the pitch rotation angle of the telescope tube 10a.

[0062] exist Figure 4 In the example shown, the initial positioning module 13 is mounted on the rotating platform 14b of the horizontal rotation mechanism 14. However, this is merely exemplary; the initial positioning module 13 may also be integrated into the telescope tube or base, or comprise multiple components distributed and mounted at different locations on the telescope, or be configured as a device relatively independent of the main body of the telescope. The initial positioning module 13 can be communicatively connected to the geomagnetic sensor 11 and the gravity accelerometer 12 via wired or wireless means.

[0063] According to embodiments of the present invention, the geomagnetic sensor and gravitational acceleration of the telescope are used to detect geomagnetic field information and gravitational acceleration information, thereby determining the azimuth and altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system. Thus, the orientation of the telescope can be initially determined without a finder scope, which greatly facilitates the learning and use of the observer.

[0064] In the case of astronomical observation using a telescope, the telescope positioning method according to embodiments of the present invention can further convert the initial positioning of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system to the initial positioning in the equatorial coordinate system. Therefore, in an optional embodiment, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the telescope positioning method 100A includes the following processing:

[0065] S110: Detects geomagnetic field information using the telescope's geomagnetic sensor;

[0066] S120: detecting a gravity direction by using a gravity accelerometer of the telescope;

[0067] S130: determining an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system based on the detected geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction;

[0068] S140: acquiring a real-time time and a longitude and a latitude of a location where the telescope is located; and

[0069] S150: determining an initial orientation of the telescope based on the longitude and the latitude, the real-time time, and the azimuth and the altitude in the horizontal coordinate system.

[0070] The processes S110, S120, and S130 in the method 100A are consistent with the processes S110, S120, and S130 in the method 100 described above, and thus will not be described here again.

[0071] In the process S140, the real-time time and the longitude and the latitude can be acquired by a user inquiring and inputting into the telescope, or acquired by the telescope through a positioning device and a clock.

[0072] In the process S150, based on the longitude and the latitude, the real-time time, and the azimuth and the altitude in the horizontal coordinate system, the positional relationship between the current horizon and the equatorial circle and the ecliptic circle of the earth can be known, so that the azimuth and the altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system can be converted into the corresponding azimuth and altitude in the equatorial coordinate system. The process S150 can be realized by real-time calculation, or realized by querying an existing database based on the above parameters.

[0073] In this way, through the processes S110, S120, S130, S140, and S150, the initial positioning of the telescope in the equatorial coordinate system can be completed. Through the initial positioning of the telescope in the equatorial coordinate system, the user can know the astronomical information such as which celestial bodies are near the initial orientation, and it is more convenient for the user to perform astronomical observation.

[0074] After the initial positioning of the telescope is completed, the positioning of the telescope can be further calibrated. Figure 6 An example of a telescope positioning method according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, in which calibration is performed by finding a star. As shown in the telescope positioning method 200, the method specifically includes the following processes: Figure 6

[0075] S210: determining an initial orientation of the telescope;

[0076] S220: determining a target star point;

[0077] ​S230: providing a star finding aid, adjusting the telescope to aim at the target star point; and

[0078] S240: calibrating the orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth and altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0079] In the process S210, the initial orientation of the telescope can be the initial orientation in the equatorial coordinate system determined by the method 100A described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0080] By performing the process S220, a target star point is determined. The target star point should be a star point whose azimuth and altitude in the equatorial coordinate system are known. The target star point is preferably selected from a star with high brightness or a star with obvious color characteristics or morphological characteristics. Preferably, the target star point can also be a star close to the initial orientation of the telescope, so as to facilitate finding. Examples of determining a target star point will be described in detail below in conjunction with Figure 7 and Figure 8 which will not be repeated here.

[0081] Even if the initial positioning has been performed, it is still difficult to directly find and aim at the target star point using the telescope, because the field of view of the telescope is very limited, and the error of the initial positioning is unknown and can be large. Considering the above problems, according to some embodiments of the present application, the telescope positioning method 200 further includes a process S230, in which a star finding aid is provided for the user in the process of adjusting the telescope to aim at the target star point based on the initial orientation.

[0082] For example, the star finding aid provided in the process S230 can include: when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold, sending a warning message to the user through the telescope; and / or obtaining several different sky images of the target star point and its surrounding area, and displaying the sky images through augmented reality to help the user determine the orientation of the current orientation relative to the target star point, thereby assisting the user to find the target star point as soon as possible. Examples of the above two star finding aids will be described in more detail below.

[0083] In the process S240, the telescope is aimed at the target star point, and the orientation of the telescope is calibrated based on the azimuth and altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system. Since the azimuth and altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system are known, they can be used to accurately calibrate the telescope. For example, the azimuth of Sirius in the equatorial coordinate system is 101°15', and the altitude is -16°42'. When the telescope has aimed at Sirius, it can be determined that the azimuth of the telescope is 101°15', and the altitude is -16°42', thus completing the positioning and calibration of the telescope.

[0084] Next, the method 200 will be described in conjunction with Figure 7 andFigure 8 An example of selecting a target star point for the process S220 is introduced. As shown in Figure 7 The method 300 of selecting a target star point includes:

[0085] S310: setting a deviation threshold value, and determining a target range according to the deviation threshold value, with the initial orientation of the telescope as the center;

[0086] S320: determining a star point located in the target range as the target star point; and

[0087] S330: obtaining the azimuth and altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0088] In the process S310, as shown in Figure 8 , a target range 30 is determined according to the set deviation threshold value a, with the initial orientation 20 of the telescope as the center. The deviation threshold value a is an angle value, which can be determined according to experience or set according to the system error of the telescope. Preferably, the target range 30 is the range within the field of view of the telescope at the initial orientation. Figure 8 The target range 30 shown in the figure is circular, but in other embodiments, the target range can also be rectangular, in which case the deviation threshold value can be used to determine the side length of the rectangle.

[0089] In the process S320, assuming that the initial orientation positioning of the telescope is accurate, the name, coordinates, etc. of the star points ideally located in the target range can be obtained by querying the existing database; one of the star points is selected as the target star point. The selection criteria of the target star point can be high brightness, or can have a specific appearance, etc. Preferably, the star point located in the current field of view 40 of the telescope is selected as the target star point, so that the user can quickly adjust the telescope to aim at the target star point. As shown in Figure 8 , in the field of view 40, a star point with known coordinates is found as the target star point 1.

[0090] In the process S330, as described above, the coordinates of the target star point can be determined by querying the database.

[0091] The above introduces an example of the method of selecting a target star point for the process S220 of the method shown in Figure 6 ; next, two examples of star finding assistance for the process S230 of the method shown in Figure 6 will be introduced.

[0092] In the first example of star finding assistance, considering that the field of view of the telescope is very limited, it is likely that the user cannot know that the telescope is getting further and further away from the target star point during the process of adjusting the telescope. Therefore, in the process of adjusting the telescope based on the current orientation to align the telescope with the target star point, a warning message is given to the user when the amount of adjustment of the orientation of the telescope exceeds a reasonable adjustment threshold. For example, in some cases, the "adjustment threshold" can be the absolute value of the difference between the target star point and the orientation of the telescope plus the error estimate of the initial positioning of the telescope, or plus a certain margin; in other cases, the "adjustment threshold" can also be a fixed threshold value set empirically. The warning message can be given by, for example, a light on the telescope, a sound warning device, an augmented reality display in the display system of the telescope, or a change in the resistance of the direct drive motor used to assist in rotating the telescope.

[0093] Preferably, the above-mentioned haptic cue can be an increasing resistance against the user's manual rotation of the telescope as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold. For example, when the user's adjustment of the telescope exceeds the adjustment threshold, the greater the amount of excess, the greater the resistance given by the direct drive motor to prompt the user to adjust the orientation of the telescope back within the adjustment range. In some cases, when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold, the telescope can be directly rotated back to within the adjustment threshold by the direct drive motor, etc.

[0094] In the second example of star finding assistance, the user is assisted to find the target star point more efficiently by helping the user to determine the orientation of the current orientation relative to the target star point, specifically including the following processes: a: obtaining several different sky images of the target star point and its surrounding area; and b: providing an augmented reality display through the telescope and displaying the sky images for guidance.

[0095] For ease of understanding, the following will be described in conjunction with Figure 9 the above-mentioned processes.

[0096] Figure 9 The sky image of the target star point 1 and its surrounding area is shown on the right side of the figure. In process a, the sky image of the target star point 1 and its surrounding area can be retrieved from a local database (e.g. stored in the memory of the telescope) or retrieved from a remote database through a network or other communication device; and as shown, the surrounding area of the target star point 1 can be divided into several different sky images corresponding to different orientations (e.g. four sky images A, B, C, D are shown in the figure). Figure 9 According to an embodiment of the present application, in process b, as shown in Figure 9As shown in the left portion, the various sky area images are displayed in augmented reality within the telescope's field of view 40. During star-finding, the user can compare the real-time observed image with several sky area images A, B, C, and D corresponding to different azimuths around the target star to determine the telescope's current orientation relative to the target star, thus facilitating the search for the target star. For example, in... Figure 9 In the example shown, after comparing the real-time observed image with the four augmented reality images A, B, C, and D, the user can find that the image in the field of view 40 matches the augmented reality image A quite well. Therefore, the user can determine that the target star point 1 is located in the lower right of the field of view 40.

[0097] It is understood that the above-described methods of dividing the sky image and augmented reality display are merely illustrative for ease of understanding, and the appropriate method can be chosen based on specific circumstances during actual implementation. Furthermore, the two methods of satellite-finding assistance described above are not mutually exclusive; they can be used in combination or individually.

[0098] It should be understood that although the above-mentioned star-finding aids can be used... Figure 6 The telescope positioning method shown in step S230 is not limited to the star-finding process performed for telescope positioning calibration, but can also be used, for example, during normal stargazing after telescope positioning calibration. Therefore, according to different embodiments of the present invention, an auxiliary star-finding method is also provided, comprising: acquiring the current orientation of the telescope and the azimuth and altitude of the target star in the equatorial coordinate system; and providing the aforementioned star-finding assistance during the process of adjusting the telescope to align with the target star based on the current orientation.

[0099] Figure 10 This is a schematic block diagram of another example of a telescope according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 As shown, in addition to the geomagnetic sensor 11, the gravity accelerometer 12, and the initial positioning module 13, the telescope 10B also includes a star-finding calibration module 17. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the star-finding calibration module 17 is configured to perform the following processes: (1) determining a target star and obtaining the azimuth and altitude of the target star in the equatorial coordinate system; and (2) after adjusting the telescope to align it with the target star based on the initial orientation of the telescope, calibrating the orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth and altitude of the target star in the equatorial coordinate system.

[0100] Preferably, the star-finding calibration module 17 is further configured to perform the following process: when the user manually adjusts the telescope to align it with the target star point based on the initial orientation, a warning message is issued to the user when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold.

[0101] In some embodiments, the telescope 10B further comprises a direct drive motor 18, which is a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope, and the alert information issued by the star finding calibration module 17 to the user comprises a haptic cue given by the direct drive motor 18. Here, the haptic cue may, for example, comprise a resistance to the user's manual rotation of the telescope that increases as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold.

[0102] In other embodiments, the telescope 10B can further comprise an augmented reality display device 19, which displays an image that is presented to the user via the eyepiece of the telescope, and the alert information issued by the star finding calibration module 17 to the user comprises an image cue displayed by the augmented reality display device 19.

[0103] Preferably, the star finding calibration module 17 is further configured to perform the following process: acquire a plurality of different sky images of the target star point and its surrounding region; and display the sky images via the augmented reality display device 19 for guiding the adjustment of the telescope in the process of adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation to align it with the target star point. The specific implementation can be referred to the above description in connection with the initial positioning module 13. Figure 9

[0104] The functions of the star finding calibration module 17 may, for example, be implemented by a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory; from the perspective of hardware devices, the star finding calibration module 17 can comprise a discrete device, or can be integrated with other processing modules (such as the initial positioning module 13), or can share part of the hardware devices with other processing modules. In some embodiments, the star finding calibration module 17 can cooperate with the direct drive motor 18, the augmented reality display device 19, and other elements such as light devices, sound devices, etc. to complete the aforementioned processes.

[0105] The above description is merely preferred embodiments of the present application and a description of the principles of the technology used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the application disclosed in the present application is not limited to the technical solutions formed by the specific combinations of the above technical features, and should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combinations of the above technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the inventive concept. For example, the above features can be replaced with technical features disclosed in the present application (but not limited to) having similar functions to form technical solutions.​

Claims

1. A method for positioning a telescope, comprising: detecting geomagnetic field information by a geomagnetic sensor of the telescope; detecting a gravity direction by a gravity accelerometer of the telescope; determining an azimuth of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information, and determining an altitude of the telescope in the horizontal coordinate system based on the gravity direction; acquiring a real-time time and a longitude and a latitude of a location where the telescope is located; determining an initial orientation of the telescope based on the longitude and the latitude, the real-time time, and the azimuth and the altitude in the horizontal coordinate system, the initial orientation comprising an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in an equatorial coordinate system; determining a target star point, and acquiring an azimuth and an altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system; adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation of the telescope to align the telescope to the target star point; and calibrating an orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth and the altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system after the adjusting of the telescope based on the initial orientation of the telescope to align the telescope to the target star point, wherein, during the adjusting of the telescope based on the initial orientation of the telescope to align the telescope to the target star point, when a user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold, the telescope sends a warning information to the user, the sending of the warning information comprises giving a somatosensory prompt by a direct drive motor of the telescope, wherein the direct drive motor is a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope, and the somatosensory prompt comprises a resistance to the manual rotation of the telescope by the user that increases as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold.

2. The telescope positioning method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: establishing a horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction.

3. The telescope positioning method of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The sending of the warning information further comprises: providing an augmented reality display by the telescope, and giving the warning information by the augmented reality display.

4. The telescope positioning method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: acquiring a plurality of different sky images of the target star point and a surrounding area of the target star point; and during the adjusting of the telescope based on the initial orientation of the telescope to align the telescope to the target star point, providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and displaying the sky images to guide the adjusting.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The determining of the target star point comprises: setting a deviation threshold, and determining a target range according to the deviation threshold with the initial orientation of the telescope as a center; and determining a star point located in the target range as the target star point.

6. The telescope positioning method of claim 5, wherein, The target range is a range within a field of view of the telescope at the initial orientation.

7. A telescope comprising: A geomagnetic sensor, a gravity accelerometer, and an initial positioning module, wherein: the geomagnetic sensor is configured to detect geomagnetic field information; the gravity accelerometer is configured to detect a gravity direction; the initial positioning module is configured to receive the geomagnetic field information from the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity direction from the gravity accelerometer, and determine an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in a horizontal coordinate system based on the geomagnetic field information and the gravity direction; the initial positioning module is further configured to determine an initial orientation of the telescope according to a real-time time and a longitude and a latitude of a location where the telescope is located, the initial orientation comprising an azimuth and an altitude of the telescope in an equatorial coordinate system. The telescope further comprises a star finding calibration module configured to determine a target star point, obtain an azimuth and altitude of the target star point in an equatorial coordinate system, and calibrate an orientation of the telescope based on the azimuth and altitude of the target star point in the equatorial coordinate system after adjusting the telescope based on an initial orientation of the telescope to align with the target star point; The star finding calibration module is further configured to issue a warning to the user when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold during the process of adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation to align with the target star point. The telescope further comprises a direct drive motor for rotating the telescope to change the orientation of the telescope, and the warning issued by the star finding calibration module to the user comprises a haptic cue provided by the direct drive motor, the haptic cue comprising an increased resistance to the user's manual rotation of the telescope as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold.

8. The telescope of claim 7, wherein, The telescope further comprises a lens barrel, and the relative positions of the geomagnetic sensor and the gravity accelerometer with respect to the lens barrel are fixed.

9. The telescope of claim 7, wherein, The telescope further comprises a lens barrel and a horizontal rotation mechanism, the horizontal rotation mechanism having a fixed stage and a rotating stage, the rotating stage being connected to the lens barrel and horizontally rotating synchronously with the lens barrel. The geomagnetic sensor is mounted on the rotating stage of the horizontal rotation mechanism.

10. The telescope of claim 9, wherein, The telescope further comprises a lens barrel and a horizontal rotation mechanism, the horizontal rotation mechanism having a fixed stage and a rotating stage, the rotating stage being connected to the lens barrel and horizontally rotating synchronously with the lens barrel.

11. The telescope of claim 10, wherein, The telescope further comprises a lens barrel and a horizontal rotation mechanism, the horizontal rotation mechanism having a fixed stage and a rotating stage, the rotating stage being connected to the lens barrel and horizontally rotating synchronously with the lens barrel.

12. The telescope of claim 7, wherein, The telescope further comprises a first encoder and a second encoder, the first encoder being connected to the horizontal rotation mechanism and used to detect a horizontal rotation angle of the rotating stage, and the second encoder being connected to the elevation mechanism and used to detect an elevation rotation angle of the lens barrel.

13. The telescope of claim 12, wherein, The telescope further comprises an augmented reality display device, an image displayed by the augmented reality display device being presented to the user via an eyepiece of the telescope, and the warning issued by the star finding calibration module to the user comprising an image cue displayed by the augmented reality display device.

14. The telescope of any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein, The star finding calibration module is further configured to obtain a plurality of different sky images of the target star point and a surrounding area thereof, and display the sky images by the augmented reality display device for guiding the adjustment during the process of adjusting the telescope based on the initial orientation to align with the target star point. The telescope does not have an interface for engaging with a star finder.

15. An assisted star finding method for a telescope, comprising: obtaining a current orientation of the telescope and an azimuth and altitude of a target star point in an equatorial coordinate system; and during a process of adjusting the telescope based on the current orientation to align with the target star point, issuing a warning to the user when the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond an adjustment threshold. The issuing of the warning information includes giving a body sensation prompt by using a direct drive motor of the telescope, wherein the direct drive motor is a driving motor for rotating the telescope to change the direction of the telescope, and the body sensation prompt includes resistance against manual rotation of the telescope by the user, which increases as the user manually adjusts the telescope beyond the adjustment threshold.

16. The auxiliary acquisition method as recited in claim 15, wherein, The issuing of the warning information further includes: providing an augmented reality display by the telescope, and giving the warning information by the augmented reality display.

17. The assisted acquisition method of claim 15 or 16, wherein, The method further includes: acquiring several different sky region images of the target star point and a surrounding area thereof; and in the process of adjusting the telescope based on the current direction to align the target star point, providing an augmented reality display by the telescope and displaying the sky region images for guiding the adjustment.

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