Info on mounts and tracking
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@ -417,3 +417,18 @@
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% constellations
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% fork
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% port
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% hamlib
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% PTZ
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% pier
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% Celestron
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% iOptron
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% amateur radio
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% ham
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% star trails
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% EQ equitorial
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% fork software, fork mount
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% firmware
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% ISS
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% GOTO
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% sidereal
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% slew
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@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ The \gls{LSF} is developing \gls{SatNOGS-Optical} to add
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\glspl{optical-ground-station} to the distributed network.
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Prototype \glspl{optical-ground-station} are being developed. An example
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setup, using a Skywatcher EQ6-R Pro telescope tripod and tracking mount,
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\index{Skywatcher}\index{telescope}\index{tripod}\index{mount}\index{enclosure}
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setup, using a Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro telescope tripod and tracking mount,
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\index{Sky-Watcher}\index{telescope}\index{tripod}\index{mount}\index{enclosure}
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can be seen in Figure
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\ref{fig:video-enclosure-mount-tripod}, page \pageref{fig:video-enclosure-mount-tripod}.
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187
src/Hardware.tex
187
src/Hardware.tex
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@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ The full setup on tripod, can be seen in
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A close up of the setup can be seen at
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\ref{fig:video-enclosure-mount}, page \pageref{fig:video-enclosure-mount},
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showing the Skywatcher telescope tracking mount,
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showing the Sky-Watcher telescope tracking mount,
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a Bosch \gls{PoE} camera enclosure,
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and through the glass the camera lens.
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\index{Skywatcher}\index{telescope}\index{mount}\index{Bosch}\index{PoE}\index{camera}
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\index{Sky-Watcher}\index{telescope}\index{mount}\index{Bosch}\index{PoE}\index{camera}
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\index{lens}
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In the background is a white antenna for \gls{GNSS} (\gls{GPS}) and a solar power setup.
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\index{GNSS}\index{GPS}\index{solar power}
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@ -264,7 +264,186 @@ See figure \ref{fig:video-enclosure-top}, page \pageref{fig:video-enclosure-top}
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\end{figure}
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\section{Tripods}
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\label{sec:hardware-tripod}
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\index{hardware}\index{tripod}\index{camera}
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The camera setup can be mounted a wide variety of ways,
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from just setting the camera somewhere (worst option), to a heavy duty
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pier with tracking mount (best option).
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At present, most prototype optical ground stations are using static mounts
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on tripods.
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Tripod and similar options include:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [No mount] --- Quick and dirty, just hang the camera out somewhere sitting on something.
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\item [Small tripod] --- There are small desk tripods than can be used with lighter
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setups, such as used with a Raspberry Pi PiCamera.
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\item [Photography Tripod] --- Using a common camera tripod, of which there is a wide
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variety, from light to heavy.
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\item [Telescope Tripod] --- Similar to photography tripods, but typically heavier weight.
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\item [Telescope Portable Pier] --- Similar to a telescope tripod, but much heavier, typically
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with a larger center pier post. Still movable, and folds up similar to a photography tripod.
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\item [Telescope Pier] --- A wide variety, such as making a ~1.5 meter permanent cement post.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\index{pier}
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\section{Mounts}
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\label{sec:hardware-mounts}
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\index{mount}\index{track}
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For mounts, there are two main types: tracking or static.
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By the latter ``static'' mounts, it is meant that the
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camera, the tripod, and the mount all stay motionless.
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This is what you would get using a camera with a common photography
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tripod and a simple mounting plate.
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Static mounting options include:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [Camera plate] --- Commonly used on cameras and readily available for mounting
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cameras to tripods.
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\item [Enclosure plate] --- A flat plate with holes drilled in it to mount the camera
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inside an enclosure.
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\item [``Security'' camera enclosure mount] --- Various mounts exist to mount
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security cameras to posts, walls, etc.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\index{camera}\index{mount}
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Tracking mount options to consider include:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro] --- Telescope mount using {INDI}.
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\item [Celestron] --- Wide variety of telescope mounts using {INDI}.
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\item [iOptron] --- Telescope mount with (untested) satellite tracking.
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\item [INDI Telescope Mounts] --- A wide variety of other \gls{INDI} compatible telescope mounts.
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\item [Yaesu G-5500] --- Antenna \gls{rotator}.
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\item [hamlib] --- Other hamlib compatible \glspl{rotator}.
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\item [FLIR PTU-5] --- High Performance Pan-Tilt Unit designed for security cameras (untested, no drivers?).
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\item [Misc PTZ] --- Other security camera pan/tilt mounts.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\index{track}\index{mount}\index{Sky-Watcher}\index{INDI}\index{Celestron}
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\index{Yaesu}\index{rotator}\index{hamlib}\index{FLIR}\index{pan/tilt}
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\index{iOptron}
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Tracking mounts aren't widely used, but there is support for them in
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\texttt{stvid} when acquiring data.
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The tracking needs to be set up independently of \texttt{stvid}.
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At present, I use Kstars with Ekos to control a Sky-Watcher tracking
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mount.
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\index{KStars}\index{Ekos}\index{Sky-Watcher}\index{stvid}\index{track}
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For tracking, there a few different ways to track:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [Static] --- No tracking, just point at one place in the sky.
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Generates star trails.
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Generates satellite trails.
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\item [Sidereal tracking] --- Tracks stars.
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Generates stars as points.
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Generates satellite trails.
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\item [Satellite tracking] --- Tracks satellites.
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Generates stars as tracks.
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Generates satellites as points or potentially larger images
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of the satellite structure.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\subsection{Sidereal Tracking Mounts}
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Sidereal tracking (``telescope tracking'') is what \gls{COTS} tracking ``GOTO''
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\glspl{telescope} from Celestron or Sky-Watcher do, for example. They tracks
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the stars, countering the rotation of the Earth to keep the same view
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of the sky in the camera's \gls{FOV}. Stars remain as points, even after multi-minute
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or multi-hour imaging. This is what is used for ``pretty'' pictures
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of stars, nebula, galaxies, etc.
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This is the most common tracking set up, as it has been widely used in
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astronomy communities for decades.
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Within sidereal tracking mounts, there are yet more options:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [Fork] --- Fork mount.
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\item [EQ fork] --- Fork on EQ mount.
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\item [German EQ] --- Most common EQ mount.
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\item [More] --- Endless variety of available telescope mounts.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\index{German EQ}\index{fork} %XXX
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\index{mount}\index{track}
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Also related to sidereal tracking is lunar and planetary
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tracking, but for our uses all three will be included under sidereal tracking.
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To use a sidereal tracking mount for imaging satellites, the camera
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must ``leap frog'' the satellite.
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At present, my practice is to use a sidereal mount, point at a location with Kstars,
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start stvid. Then stop stvid, move to new location using Kstars,
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start stvid.
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\index{track}\index{Kstars}\index{stvid}
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See Software section XXX for information on using tracking mounts.
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\subsection{Satellite Tracking Mounts}
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\index{track}\index{mount}
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Of the options between a static mount (no tracking), sidereal tracking,
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and satellite tracking, the latter is by far the least common.
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In this case, the tracking mount is tracking the satellite itself.
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This is much more complex than tracking stars, which it builds upon.
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It requires, such as:
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\begin{mdframed}[backgroundcolor=blue!10,linecolor=blue!30]
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\begin{description}
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\item [Time] --- Accurate time, such as from \gls{GNSS}.
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\item [Location] --- Accurate location, also available from \gls{GNSS}.
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\item [TLE] --- Need to know the \glspl{satellite}' orbit (accurately!).
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\item [Variable speed tracking] --- \Glspl{satellite} are moving at different
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speeds above, the mount needs to be capable of that.
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\item [Human guided] --- Some skilled amateurs track by hand.
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\item [Alignment] --- On top of all the gear and software needed,
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the equipment needs to be accurately aligned.
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\end{description}
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\end{mdframed}
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\index{GNSS}\index{TLE}
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Most tracking equipment for \glspl{telescope},
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cameras, and antennas usually has just a few speeds, such as a slewing speed
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and a sidereal star tracking speed. Sometimes there will be a few steps
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of these speeds (e.g. slew speeds from 1-9), but not the finely tuned tracking
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speeds needed to track a satellite. Oftentimes the telescope tracking maximum
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speed will be too slow for satellite tracks.
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Variable speed tracking (XXX phrase?) is needed for tracking satellites if
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the goal is to keep the satellite in the (near) center of the image frame
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and leave star trails. The speed the mount moves needs to be calculated
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based upon a recent orbit calcuation, such as from a \gls{TLE}.
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There are highly skilled amateur astronomers that have captured detailed
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pictures of artificial satellites, such as the ISS and astronauts doing
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space walks, using hand guided telescopes with low cost \gls{CCD} imagers.
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\index{CCD}\index{ISS}
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% XXX ref
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There are few options for satellite tracking mounts.
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Some new iOptron telescope mount firmware supports tracking
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satellites. This has been largely untested so far, but at present
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is likely the best option, if a satellite tracking mount is wanted.
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\index{iOptron}\index{track}\index{mount}
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\section{Future Designs}
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\label{sec:hardware-future}
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\index{RASA}\index{telescope}\index{astrograph}
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\index{rotator}\index{antenna}
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a \gls{RASA} ``\gls{telescope}'' (See: \gls{astrograph}).
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The primary concern is the lack of \gls{satellite}
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tracking mounts, because \gls{telescope} mounts are generally too slow,
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and need to leap-frog the \gls{satellite}. \Glspl{rotator} used for \glspl{antenna}
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aren't stable enough for a camera.
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and need to ``leap frog'' the \gls{satellite}. \Glspl{rotator} used for \glspl{antenna}
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aren't typically stable enough for a camera.
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