The StellarMate Plus Manual
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user in selecting candidates for imaging. After selecting the desired candidates,
the user can add them to the Ekos Scheduler list for evaluation. The user may
also add the targets directly in Ekos scheduler or select a FITS file of a previous
image.
Settings
Ekos Scheduler provides a simple interface to aid the user in setting the
conditions and constraints required for an observation job. Each observation job
is composed of the following:
· Target name and coordinates: Select target from the Find Dialog or Add it
from Observation Planner. You can also enter a custom name.
· Optional FITS File: If a FITS file is specified, the astrometry solver shall solve
the file and use the central RA/DEC as the target coordinates.
· Sequence file: The sequence file is constructed in the Ekos Capture Module. It
contains the number of images to capture, filters, temperature settings,
prefixes, download directory, etc.
· Priority: Set job priority in the range of 1 to 20 where 1 designates the highest
priority and 20 the lowest priority. Priority is applied in calculating the weight
used to select the next target to image.
· Profile: Select which equipment profile to utilize when starting Ekos. If Ekos &
INDI are already started and online, this selection is ignored.
· Steps: The user selects which Ekos modules should be utilized in the
observation job execution workflow.
· Startup Conditions: Conditions that must be met before the observation job is
started. Currently, the user may select to start as soon as possible, ASAP, or
when the target is near or past culmination, or at a specific time.
· Constraints: Constraints are conditions that must be met at all times during
the observation job execution process. These include minimum target altitude,
minimum moon separation, twilight observation, and weather monitoring.
· Completion Conditions: Conditions that trigger completion of the observation
job. The default selection is to simply mark the observation job as complete
once the sequence process is complete. Additional conditions enable the user
to repeat the sequence process indefinitely or up until a specific time.
You must select the Target and Sequence before you can add a job to the
Scheduler. When the scheduler starts, it evaluates all jobs in accord to the
conditions and constraints specified and attempts to select the best job to
execute. Selection of the job depends on a simple heuristic algorithm that scores
each job given the conditions and constraints, each of which is weighted
accordingly. If two targets have identical conditions and constraints, usually the
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