Auto-Object-Tracking Motorized Catadioptic Camera System ~$600

[ka-lemtah]

Y'all probably already know of this? In any case checkout:

http://www.optictracker.com/Compatibility.html

Be sure to watch the videos.

The key to the system is the software (there's a basic freebie version available) and the camera which they recommend, a NexImage X2, and of course, a COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) motorized catadioptic 'telescope'. (middle of page, 2nd photo on right)

This technology originated in the DIY astronomy hackers community over the past 20yrs, and recently, there has been a boon of airplane watchers, a bit of a weird hobby, where folks try to identify and match aircraft tail numbers to flight plans, and then they modified their hobby to use CCD video-cameras mounted on motorized astronomy telescopes. But outer-space object viewing telescopes have a too small viewing aperture and the slew-rate is too slow, so a modified motorized telescope with a catadioptic lens were developed to replace those. The average zoom range is around 1000 ~ 2500 mm, which is useful for within-atmosphere object viewing/videoing. One version uses a joystick to aim the lens while while watching through a finder-scope (little more pricey...~$1500).

Got any idears what these plane-spotting auto-object-tracking motorized video cameras systems might be useful for?

Hah hah hee hee!

ka-lemtah

[montalk]

That's a really cool setup. Chemtrail activists would be happy with that one, and of course the UFO hunters. Imagine if it also had a way of comparing the starry sky to a database and highlighting anything that shouldn't be there, or if it had infrared capabilities too. And a laser cannon, ha.

[ka-lemtah]

That's a really cool setup. Chemtrail activists would be happy with that one, and of course the UFO hunters. Imagine if it also had a way of comparing the starry sky to a database and highlighting anything that shouldn't be there, or if it had infrared capabilities too. And a laser cannon, ha.

Hi MonTalk,

Thanks.

Actually I hadn't thought about the chem'rs.

Re; them "stars that aint 'sposed to be thar" or the Rutledge 'pseudo-star' and astronomy celestrial-body database comparison, there are numerous astronomy programs that provide that functionality and that can, additionally, run along-side the OpticTracker(tm) program I cited. These type telescope system configuration typically require a GPS/inclinometer gadget along with the rest of the hardware for full automation (for the casual user who has little knowledge of the night sky or generally doesn't know how to align-calibrate their telescope to the sky). Also, there is a hand-held star locator gadget:

celestron_skyscout_large.jpg


http://www.engadget.com/2005/12/22/C...e-star-finder/
http://www.celestron.com/astronomy/c...anetarium.html

this hardware employs a GPS & a 3 axis compass/gyrocope to locate celestial objects, such as satellites, the ISS space-station, the Chinese space-station, Robert Bigelow's space-station, the Japanese space-station, the French space-station (American news tells us nothing), galaxies, stars etc. The feature I find neato about the OpticTracker's system optical (find the edges) tracking system configuration, --it is **NOT** designed to track slow or to follow no-apparent-motion 'stars'; it **is** characterized to auto-motor-track (aim lens & camera) the movement of jet-airliners taking off at 150ft all the way up 50,000ft or to track helicopters flying overhead, etc. From what I've heard it seems perfect for alien object tracking. While the system can **also** auto-aim the optic-chain at satellites or stars that take 12 hrs to transit the sky, its primary mission is rapid tracking. I don't know if it is fast enough to auto-track a zig-zagging disc-orb? So yes, it would be great for the chemies and flying-saucer investigators. For myself, I'd be interested to auto-aim a whole bunch of instruments at suspected ET objects, especially luminous-orbs.

Re; the LASER cannon....as you likely know ET are known to shoot back. There are a few (most disappear) reports that describe ET objects beam-shooting Humans. A freind of mine, a weekend 'ET investigator', with a group of friends, saw a disc-orb hovering over a lake a few blocks distance during a UFO-Campout in the Angeles Forest area. Using a Chinese paper-burning UV-blue high-power pocket LASER, he pointed it at the disc-orb, which promptly returned a blue-beam striking him midsection on his side. He instantly felt a pressure on the interior of his body. It damaged his liver causing him medical problems.

While most don't regard ET as being social, they apparently don't like their photos being taken without their invitation and they sure as hell don't like being shot at. There was a Korean war ET object report where a US Military unit fired a canon at a disc, which shot back a nasty beam reply.

Cheers,

ka-lemtah