![]() ![]() KStars displays a map of the sky for my location and time. The Raspberry PI is velcro’d to the mount and runs the Stellarmate OS but I connect to it remotely from a Macbook laptop running the KStars astronomy app over a wireless connection. The computer controls the mount and is also connected to a ZWO ASI178 camera on a piggy-backed 60 mm ZWO guidescope. I automate alignment with my Celestron CGEM mount, Edge HD 8 scope, and a small Raspberry PI computer. If the scope is not pointing at the target then the computer again tells the mount to slew to the target and the above steps are repeated.The computer issues a sync command to update the mount’s alignment model to where the scope is pointing.The computer uses Plate Solving to determine that region of the sky that the scope is actually pointing to.An image is taken through the scope and downloaded to the computer.The computer tells the mount to slew to the target.The process starts by selecting a target star or object in the App – then the computer takes over: Many astronomy apps such as Stellarium, Carte du Ceil, or KStars are capable controlling a variety of mounts from vendors such as Celestron, Meade, iOptron, or Skywatcher. It requires a computer that controls the mount’s movements and can take images through the scope or finderscope. Plate solving can automate the alignment process. Use the hand-controller to center the selected star in the finder and eyepiece. ![]() Select an alignment star that is visible from a list provided by the mount.An alignment process with the following steps is then repeated on several stars: This is often done with a small polar scope attached on the mount. The usual setup routine for using a goto mount is to first roughly polar align mount so that the mount’s polar axis is pointing at true north. Plate Solving provides additional benefits when used with a computer connected mount – including accurate gotos with automated alignment. The Plate Solving 1 article described how Plate Solving software uses pattern matching to determine the stars and other objects that appear in an image. ![]()
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December 2022
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