How do you track a star in the night sky for a long period of time using an optical telescope or camera?

Question

How do you track a star in the night sky for a long period of time using an optical telescope or camera?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

math and really ridiculous gear ratios.

so the motion of the planets as viewed from earth are fairly complex but highly predictable patterns. so predictable that you can program a telescope to follow it simply by telling it how to orient itself over time. the machine doesn’t need to be able to “see” to capture a clear image.

the machinery necessary to do this is fairly expensive due to how precise the motion has to be. the telescope needs to be able to make slow, smooth motions constantly across hours. this usually involves substantial gear trains