A method to estimate optical distortion using planetary images

•We develop a method to calibrate optical distortion using planetary images.•The method utilizes the planetary radius in the image changes due to distortion.•Optical distortions in simulated and real images were retrieved successfully.•This method enables us to obtain distortion parameters in space.

We developed a method to calibrate optical distortion parameters for axisymmetrical optical systems using images of a spherical target taken at a variety of distances. The method utilizes the fact that the influence of distortion on the apparent radius in the image changes with the disk size of the projected body. Because several planets can be used as the spherical target, this method enables us to obtain distortion parameters in space and by using a large number of planetary images, desired accuracy of parameters can be achieved statistically. The applicability of the method was tested by applying it to simulated planetary images and real Venus images taken by Venus Monitoring Camera onboard the ESA’s Venus Express, and optical distortion was successfully retrieved with the pixel position error of less than 1 pixel. Venus is the planet most suitable for the proposed method because of its smooth, nearly spherical surface of the haze layer covering the planet.