Patent ID: 7339731

Claim:
A method for self-aligning a telescope with a celestial object, the method comprising: slewing a telescope toward an approximated location of an alignment area; acquiring an electronic image of a portion of the sky corresponding to the approximated location; identifying one or more celestial objects in the electronic image; mapping information related to the celestial coordinates of at least one of the identified celestial objects to the telescope's coordinate system; virtually leveling the telescope including: receiving a first signal from a level sensor, rotating the telescope approximately 180° about an azimuth axis, receiving a second signal from the level sensor, and comparing the first signal and the second signal to determine a level reading in a first direction; rotating the telescope approximately 90° about the azimuth axis; receiving a third signal from the level sensor; and in response to the third signal, determining a level reading in a second direction, wherein the second direction is approximately orthogonal to the first direction.