A Real-time Algorithm for Weak Small Targets Detection in Astronomical  Opto-electronic Image Sequences

In the image sequences obtained by the large field of view astronomical opto-electronic observation system on terrestrial surface, the image characteristics of the space targets and the large amount of stars are similar, and the targets mostly appear weak and small. It is difficult to realize their robust real-time detection. According to the detailed analysis of the characteristics of the weak small targets in the astronomical opto-electronic images, the article proposes a weak small targets detection algorithm of temporal-spatial combined filtering, aiming at the time-space domain characteristics of the stars and space targets and combining the stern real project’s need of real-time performance and detection of probability. The algorithm suppresses background and highlights targets in spatial, and detects the stars and space targets respectively by multi-frame correlation and multi-frame difference concerning the different moving characteristic in temporal. Finally, the combination of detection based on the real-measured data and the realization on hardware platform shows the algorithm’s validity and real-time quality.