A.S.T.R.A

Project Overview

The objective of this project is to design and integrate a modular, autonomous telescope subsystem capable of tracking celestial objects and capturing high-quality astronomical imagery with minimal user interaction to be used for educational outreach. The system is built around commercial off-the-shelf telescope compatibility which serves as the primary optical element.

Engineering efforts focus on the development of custom opto-mechanical assemblies, motorized control systems, and embedded software that enable automated tracking, image processing, and self-calibration using celestial reference points. Onboard image acquisition and processing algorithms support object identification, image enhancement, and post-processing for astrophotography applications. A dual-path optical architecture allows simultaneous naked-eye viewing and camera-based digital imaging.

The system demonstrates autonomous celestial tracking and imaging using minimal commercial hardware. Remote operation is achieved through a graphical user interface that integrates real-time visual data and system controls. System performance is validated through nighttime testing and algorithm demonstrations, establishing ASTRA as a hands-free, educational, and experimental astronomical observation platform.

This web application provides optical calculation tools to support the design and operation of the ASTRA system, enabling precise calculations for telescope parameters including Airy disk diameter, field of view, and magnification.