KStars

What is KStars

KStars is a powerful, free desktop planetarium application for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Beyond its planetarium capabilities, KStars includes Ekos, a complete astrophotography suite that provides observatory control, image capture, guiding, focusing, and alignment capabilities.

Why Use KStars with CitraSense

KStars/Ekos provides a professional-grade observatory control platform with excellent automation capabilities:

  • Cross-Platform - Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
  • INDI Integration - Native support for hundreds of astronomical devices
  • Free and Open Source - Active development and community support

Prerequisites

Before integrating KStars with CitraSense, ensure you have:

  • KStars 3.6.0 or later installed (download here)
  • Ekos configured with your telescope hardware
  • INDI server running with your equipment profile
  • Your telescope hardware already configured and working in Ekos
  • CitraSense running on the same machine as KStars (the adapter uses local D-Bus)

Installation

Install KStars/Ekos

Linux (Ubuntu/Debian):

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:mutlaqja/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install kstars-bleeding indi-full

macOS:

  1. Install D-Bus with brew (required for CitraSense integration): 
      brew install dbus
  brew services start dbus
  2. Download and Install KStars:

Windows: Not currently tested or supported on windows.

Install CitraSense

Follow the Getting Started guide if you haven’t already installed CitraSense.

Configuration

In KStars/Ekos

  1. Configure Your Equipment Profile
    • Open Ekos: Tools → Ekos
    • Create or select your equipment profile
    • Add your mount, camera, focuser, filter wheel, etc.
    • Test that all equipment connects properly
  2. Set Up Plate Solving
    • Go to Ekos → Align module
    • Configure your plate solver (Astrometry.net recommended)
    • Test plate solving with a captured image
  3. Configure Camera Settings
    • Set default gain, offset, and cooling targets
    • Configure image format (FITS recommended)
    • Set your capture directory

In CitraSense Web Interface

  1. Navigate to Hardware Configuration
    • Open CitraSense web interface (default: http://localhost:24872)
    • Go to Hardware Settings
  2. Select KStars Adapter
    • Choose KStars from the hardware adapter dropdown

    The following settings are available:

    Setting Default Description
    D-Bus Service Name org.kde.kstars D-Bus service name for KStars. Only change if running a custom KStars instance.
    Camera/CCD Device Name CCD Simulator Name of the camera device in your Ekos profile. Check Ekos logs on connect for available devices.
    Filter Wheel Device Name (empty) Name of the filter wheel device. Leave empty if you have no filter wheel.
    Optical Train Name Primary Name of the optical train in your Ekos profile. Check Ekos logs on connect for available trains.
    Exposure Time (seconds) 1.0 Exposure duration in seconds for each frame (0.001–300).
    Frame Count 1 Number of frames to capture per observation (1–100).
    Binning X 1 Horizontal pixel binning (1–4).
    Binning Y 1 Vertical pixel binning (1–4).
    Image Format Mono Camera image format. Options: Mono, RGGB, RGB.
  3. Save Configuration
    • Save your settings. CitraSense will connect to KStars via D-Bus and report hardware status in the dashboard.

Supported Features

The KStars adapter supports the following capabilities:

  • ✅ Mount Control - Slew to coordinates, position readout
  • ✅ Camera Control - Exposure, binning, image format
  • ✅ Image Capture - Single and multiple exposures via Ekos Scheduler
  • ✅ Filter Wheel - Automatic filter selection and discovery
  • ✅ Plate Solving - Position verification via Ekos Align module

Limitations

Known Limitations

  • Local D-Bus Only - The adapter communicates via session D-Bus. CitraSense must run on the same machine as KStars.
  • No Autofocus - Autofocus is not currently supported through this adapter.
  • No Focuser Control - Direct focuser movement is not available. Use KStars/Ekos to manage focus.
  • No Disconnect - CitraSense cannot programmatically disconnect from KStars. Close KStars manually when done.
  • Windows Not Supported - D-Bus is not natively available on Windows.

Performance Considerations

  • KStars should remain running with Ekos active for CitraSense tasks
  • Plate solving requires appropriate index files for your imaging scale
  • Ensure adequate system resources for both KStars and CitraSense

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Problem: CitraSense cannot connect to KStars

Solutions:

  • Verify KStars is running with Ekos started
  • Check that D-Bus is accessible: run dbus-send --session --print-reply --dest=org.kde.kstars /KStars org.freedesktop.DBus.Peer.Ping to test
  • Ensure D-Bus Service Name is correct in CitraSense settings (typically org.kde.kstars)
  • On macOS, confirm D-Bus is running: brew services list | grep dbus
  • Restart both KStars and CitraSense
  • Review KStars logs: Help → Debug → View Logs

Equipment Profile Issues

Problem: Equipment profile fails to load or connect

Solutions:

  • Verify profile is correctly configured in Ekos
  • Test manual connection in Ekos first
  • Check all equipment is powered on and connected
  • Review INDI driver compatibility and versions
  • Update INDI libraries to latest version
  • Check equipment permissions (especially on Linux: serial port access)
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