Patent ID: 7105791

Claim:
A system for using an image of the Sun or Moon for detecting and tracking objects traveling above or through the Earth's atmosphere, the system comprising: a receiver for collecting incident solar energy, as Sunlight, or reflected solar energy, as Moonlight, the receiver being within the Earth's atmosphere and programmed for following the Sun or Moon's trajectory relative to the Earth as viewed from within the Earth's atmosphere, so that the receiver collects images of the Sun or Moon as the sun or Moon is observed from within the Earth's atmosphere; a light sensitive device that produces a signal representing the image of the Sun or Moon; and a signal processor that is coupled to the light sensitive device, the signal processor sensing the collected incident Sunlight or Moonlight and is programmed for providing an output signal representing a plurality of pixels corresponding to the image of the Sun or Moon as projected on the receiver and programmed for providing a detection signal in response to an object shadow represented by varied intensity within the plurality of pixels within the image of the Sun or Moon as created by the light sensitive device.