Computer Vision Techniques Demonstrate Robust Orientation Measurement of the Milky Way Despite Image Motion

Abstract

Many species rely on celestial cues as a reliable guide for maintaining heading while navigating. In this paper, we propose a method that extracts the Milky Way (MW) shape as an orientation cue in low-light scenarios. We also tested the method on both real and synthetic images and demonstrate that the performance of the method appears to be accurate and reliable to motion blur that might be caused by rotational vibration and stabilisation artefacts. The technique presented achieves an angular accuracy between a minimum of 0.00° and a maximum 0.08° for real night sky images, and between a minimum of 0.22° and a maximum 1.61° for synthetic images. The imaging of the MW is largely unaffected by blur. We speculate that the use of the MW as an orientation cue has evolved because, unlike individual stars, it is resilient to motion blur caused by locomotion.