Importance

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Abstract

Method and apparatus are provided for a hand-held planetarium which displays a sky pattern comprising graphical representations of celestial objects. A sensing system comprising sensors provides information about an orientation of the device. A controller receives such information and determines an altitude angle of a pointing axis and an azimuthal angle of the pointing axis. The controller accesses a database of celestial objects and determines celestial objects for display based at least in part on a measure of proximity of the celestial objects to the pointing axis. Graphical representations of the celestial objects are displayed on a screen. Additional information for the celestial objects is displayed on the screen over a plurality of display slices. Based at least in part on sensed orientation information, the orientation of a motorized telescope is controlled so that the celestial objects displayed on the screen come within the telescope's field of view.

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First Claim