Design and Implementation of an Automated Star Tracking System

Abstract

An Automated Star Tracking System was designed and built for an undergraduate senior design project. The system was designed as a portable and easy to use means of tracking celestial objects, and is usable for a variety of both personal and professional purposes. The project was built around exploring the capabilities of a demo camera provided by Aptina Imaging, and has resulted in a fully functional tracking system. This thesis describes in detail the design process, implementation and future possibilities of that project. A detailed technical description of both the project as a whole and the individual components is included, as well as a reflection on the project development.