After doing a GoTo from KStars, then using the plate solve "Solve & Center" option works great. However, if I initiate the GoTo from SkySafari 6 (using the SkySafari driver), the "target" is apparently not updated in Ekos. Thus the plate solve gives the distance from the last KStars GoTo and the "Center" part tries to go back to that object.

Is it possible to set the Ekos target to be that of the SkySafari GoTo coordinates? As it is, doing a GoTo from SkySafari is a bit useless to me.

I sort of thought this used to work, but I may be thinking of some other software.

Bill

Hi Bill,
there is a new option in KStars so that it recognizes slews to targets from external sky maps. You can find it under Settings > Configure KStars > INDI > external Sky Map:


If you select this option, KStars/EKOS recognizes the position where a slew ends as new target. Now you can use any arbitrary INDI client for moving your scope and use EKOS for plate solving etc.

I have to mention that this option has a natural restriction in the precision how mount slew to certain positions. When you slew to a certain position, it might happen that your mount will not move to exactly the position that you sent it to, but it stops at a position that is slightly off your target. This comes from the fact that due to mechanical or other limitations mount slews end a few arc seconds off the position that you sent it to. As a result, the target position will not be the position you sent your mount to but the position that it reported its position when it ended the slew.

HTH
Wolfgang

Wow, that looks to be exactly what I need.

The fact that it is a radio button implies that you can have one or the other, but not both. If I enable this, will I no longer be able to slew from KStars? Without knowing anything about the implementation, I would think that either one could set the target.

I will hope to try this soon.

Thanks so much,
Bill

For sure you can still use KStars for slewing, if you select the second option. KStars is handled as all other INDI clients, you can use as many as you wish in parallel.

Thanks again for the clarification. I did just try this here without the plate solving aspect (since it's daylight now) and I can slew from either UI.

Since it works from either, I might recommend that this be made a single checkbox rather than a two state radio button.