Design of a Celestial Altitude and Azimuth Computer

摘要

The Celestial Altitude and Azimuth Computer generates electrical signals, in terms of altitude and azimuth, which automatically directs a radio antenna to a selected celestial body, and causes the antenna to follow the body's motion in the solar system. The generation of these signals is accomplished entirely through electronic amplifiers and servo mechanisms, based upon input data from present functions. The preset functions, in the form of applied voltages, describes the antenna's geographic position, the sidereal position of the selected celestial body, and the relative position of the sidereal coordinate system to the geographic coordinate system.