Abstract Specific challenges arise in the task of real-time automatic data reduction of optical space debris observations. Here we present an automatic technique that optimally detects and measures the sources from images of optical space debris observations. We show that highly reliable and accurate results can be obtained on most images produced by our specific sensors, and due to optimizations, the whole pipeline works fast and efficiently. Tests demonstrate that the technique performs better than SExtractor from the point of view of fast and accurate detection, therefore it is well suited for data reduction of optical space debris observations.

Keywords techniques: image processing — space vehicles — astrometry

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