03 - Telescope Control and Aiming using Stellarium

[@StephenDyer53]

Will Stellarium on the iPhone be able to connect to the Polaris via Wi-Fi or is a cable necessary?

[@jdm5001]

Stellarium needs to connect to the Device running the Alpaca Driver (can be via Wifi). The Alpaca Driver connects to BP via Wifi.

[@StephenDyer53]

@@jdm5001 will the Alpaca driver be a physical device then?

[@jdm5001]

The Alpaca Driver will be an open source software release. The software needs to be installed and setup on a Mini-PC, Laptop, Desktop, Raspberry Pi , SurfacePC, or other device that can join the BP's Wifi Hotspot.

[@jonathanshribman4813]

Dave, great to have a serious DSLR astrophotographer and computer programmer remodel how BP should work. As a mere hobby astrophotographer and not a programmer with no experience of telescopes a couple of questions, as you left me behind… 1. The Stellarium app you are using is desktop based. How does this connect with BP and the iPhone controlling it? 2. How will it work in the middle of nowhere - will i need to take a laptop with me? Clarification would be very helpful. Keep up the good work. Jonathan

[@jdm5001]

@jonathanshribman4813 thanks for the feedback. There are a few options, but I recently used Nina, Stellarium and ABP in the middle of nowhere. BP App connects to BP hotspot as usual. MiniPC running Nina (to camera via USB), ABP (to BP's hotspot via wifi), and Stellarium to ABP (via Synscan). On a separate laptop I connect to the Mini-PC's own hotspot (stronger than the BPs). The laptop lets me control everything inside in the warmth. If Stellarium is too slow over Remote Desktop, I can run it on the laptop and connect to the MiniPC remotely with SynScan. A bit tricky to get going, its much easier if you have a home wifi.