Patent ID: 8189956

Claim:
An imaging system for use in observing and defining features on a surface of a spherical body, comprising: an optical collector for collecting light so as to define an image of the body from a distance above the body, wherein the collected light includes geometrically distorted portions in relation to the light collected at a center of the image, wherein the degree of geometric distortion of said geometrically distorted portions increases along radial lines that extend outward from the center of the collected light, wherein said geometric distortion is due to curvature of the spherical body or oblique viewing angles, wherein at least some of the geometrically distorted portions extend along a first axis and at least some of the geometrically distorted portions extend along a second axis that is angularly spaced from the first axis, and wherein the optical collector is operable to correct at least some of the geometrically distorted portions in relation to each of said first and second axes for use in defining an image of the body.