A Python 3 module to communicate with Celestron NexStar hand controllers.
This was originally developed to provide a quick way to synchronize time on Celestron NexStar SE models which did not have an RTC.
On newer Celestron NexStar models (after 2016), the hand controller has a mini-USB port which is basically a Prolific PL2303 USB-to-serial device.
On Windows 10 machines, the driver is automatically installed after selecting
"Search automatically for updated driver software." A new COM port will
appear, e.g. COM3.
On most Linux machines, the device automatically detected and usually
presented as /dev/ttyUSB{n}.
On older Celestron NexStar models, the hand controller has an RJ1 port (a.k.a. "telephone" port") which can be wired to a regular DB9 serial port. Reference pinouts can be obtained from:
Refer to test_nexstar.py on how to use.
The commands reference were taken from:
| Command Set | Commands | Implemented? |
|---|---|---|
| Get Position Commands | E,e,Z,z | No |
| GOTO Commands | R,r,B,b | No |
| Sync Commands | S,s | No |
| Tracking Commands | T,t | No |
| Slewing Commands | P(16,17) | No |
| Time/Location Commands | W,w,H,h | Yes |
| GPS Commands | P(176) | No |
| RTC Commands | P(178) | No |
| Miscellaneous Commands | V,m,K,J,L,M | Yes |
Note: 'P' commands are pass-through commands, and the numbers in the bracket denote the device number(s).
The following command sets are expected to be implemented next:
- Get Position Commands
- GOTO Commands
- Sync Commands
- Tracking Commands
Pull requests are welcome. For major changes, please open an issue first to discuss what you would like to change.
- Justin Lee (2020) - https://github.com/detach8
This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.