Measuring Turbulence and Winds Aloft using Solar and Lunar Observable Features

A method of detecting turbulence and winds aloft, comprising:

• capturing a plurality of images of a celestial object;
• selecting a feature present in said plurality of images;
• comparing said visual feature in said plurality of images to detect the transit of a turbule of turbulent air in front of said celestial object;
• and
• computing a measurement of an angular velocity of said turbule.

A vehicle with a turbulence detection system, comprising:

• one or more CCD cameras for capturing an plurality of images of a feature of a celestial object from a plurality of vantage points, said one or more CCD cameras adapted to resolve a change in position of said feature due to optical refraction cause by a turbule of turbulent atmosphere between said one or more CCD cameras and said feature of said celestial object;
• a vehicle adapted to mount said one or more CCD cameras;
• a processor adapted to compare said plurality of images of said visual feature to detect the transit of said turbule, and to compute a measurement of a distance to said turbule and a velocity of said turbule;
• and
• a communication system configured to communicate said distance measurement and said velocity measurement of said turbule to an aircraft.