iKarus Stellar Mate Plus User manual

Copyright © 2018-2022 by Ikarus Technologies. All Rights Reserved.
User Manual
Version 2.1
Released 2022.08.07

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Table of contents
Welcome ........................................................................................................... 5
Warnings .......................................................................................................... 5
Package Contents ............................................................................................... 5
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 6
Quick Startup ................................................................................................ 7
Specifications ................................................................................................. 7
Passwords ..................................................................................................... 8
Learning StellarMate ....................................................................................... 8
StellarMate App ................................................................................................. 8
Registration ................................................................................................... 9
QR Code ................................................................................................. 10
Steps ...................................................................................................... 10
Setup .......................................................................................................... 10
Connecting your devices ........................................................................... 12
Adding Telescopes ................................................................................... 14
Ports ....................................................................................................... 14
Port Selector ............................................................................................ 15
Weather Inforrmation ............................................................................... 17
Ekos ........................................................................................................... 19
Quick Controls ......................................................................................... 24
Mount ................................................................................................. 25
Camera ............................................................................................... 30
Preview & Framing ........................................................................... 30
Video Recording ............................................................................... 31
Live Stacking ................................................................................... 31
Settings ........................................................................................... 35
Rotator ............................................................................................... 36
Modules .................................................................................................. 38
Focus .................................................................................................. 38
Align .................................................................................................. 45
Guide .................................................................................................. 59
Capture ............................................................................................... 62
Mount ................................................................................................. 79
Observatory ......................................................................................... 82
INDI Control Panel ............................................................................... 84
Scheduler ............................................................................................ 87
Data Storage ............................................................................................ 97
Directory Browser ................................................................................... 102
Targets ..................................................................................................... 105
Framing Assistant ................................................................................... 115
Device ....................................................................................................... 117
Updating StellarMate Software ................................................................. 118
Changing Hotspot WiFi Band .................................................................... 120
View ......................................................................................................... 122
Settings ..................................................................................................... 129
Connection Methods ....................................................................................... 130
Direct HDMI Connection .............................................................................. 131

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Connecting your equipment ..................................................................... 132
Connecting from Ekos ............................................................................. 133
Ethernet Connection ................................................................................... 135
StellarMate Address ................................................................................ 136
Connecting your equipment ..................................................................... 136
Downloading Ekos .................................................................................. 136
Connecting from Ekos ............................................................................. 136
WiFi Connection ......................................................................................... 136
HotSpot Connection ................................................................................ 137
Infrastructure Connection ........................................................................ 137
StellarMate Address ................................................................................ 139
Connecting your equipment ..................................................................... 139
Downloading Ekos .................................................................................. 140
Connecting from Ekos ............................................................................. 140
VNC .......................................................................................................... 140
Connecting from Ekos via Ethernet/WiFi ........................................................ 141
Direct Ethernet ........................................................................................... 145
Connecting Equipment Via Bluetooth ................................................................ 145
Serial Port Assistant Bluetooth Wizard ........................................................... 146
Manual Pairing ........................................................................................... 149
Connecting CCDs ............................................................................................ 150
Connecting DSLRs .......................................................................................... 151
Supported DSLRs ....................................................................................... 152
Canon ................................................................................................... 152
Nikon .................................................................................................... 153
Troubleshooting ......................................................................................... 154
Connecting Mounts ......................................................................................... 154
Mounts ...................................................................................................... 155
Celestron ............................................................................................... 155
SkyWatcher ............................................................................................ 156
Mount Connection Guide ............................................................................. 158
Serial to USB .............................................................................................. 161
Wired Network ........................................................................................... 161
Wireless Connection .................................................................................... 162
Connecting Focusers ....................................................................................... 162
Serial to USB .............................................................................................. 163
Connecting Filter Wheels ................................................................................. 163
USB & Serial to USB .................................................................................... 163
Operating Filter Wheel ................................................................................ 164
Time & Location ............................................................................................. 164
Web Manager ................................................................................................. 167
Web Manager URL ...................................................................................... 168
Device Information ..................................................................................... 169
Adding New Profile ..................................................................................... 169
Removing Profile ........................................................................................ 170
Auto Start .............................................................................................. 170
Auto Connect ............................................................................................. 170
Starting & Stopping Server .......................................................................... 170
Serial Port Assistant ........................................................................................ 170
USB .......................................................................................................... 171

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Network .................................................................................................... 172
StellarMate Serial Assistant .......................................................................... 172
StellarMate Control Panel ................................................................................. 173
Status Bar .................................................................................................. 173
Dashboard ................................................................................................. 174
Hardware .................................................................................................. 176
Software .................................................................................................... 177
Network .................................................................................................... 178
Diagnostics ................................................................................................ 180
Backup and Restore Process ..................................................................... 181
Logs ..................................................................................................... 184
Goto ......................................................................................................... 187
EkosLive ........................................................................................................ 188
How does it work? ...................................................................................... 188
Supported Browsers .................................................................................... 189
Getting Started ........................................................................................... 189
Connecting Ekos to the Cloud .................................................................. 189
Using EkosLive Web Application ............................................................... 190
EkosLive FAQ ............................................................................................. 192
Using GPS ..................................................................................................... 193
Selecting a GPS Dongle ............................................................................... 193
Configuring GPS in StellarMate ..................................................................... 193
FAQ .............................................................................................................. 194
Support ......................................................................................................... 221
Index ............................................................................................................ 221

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Welcome
StellarMate Plus Manual
Warnings
WARNING: NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN WITH YOUR TELESCOPE OR
CAMERA WITHOUT APPROPRIATE FILTERS IN PLACE. PERMANENT
AND IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE TO YOUR EYES AND YOUR EQUIPMENT
WILL OCCUR.
Package Contents
Thank you for purchasing StellarMate! Please follow this guide before you starting using
your StellarMate Gadget.
After unboxing your package, you should have the following items:
1. StellarMate Plus Unit.
2. 1.8m mini HDMI Cable.
3. 3A 5V USB-C Power Supply (Plug type is selected in checkout).
4. 2-meter 12V DC to 5V DC USB-C cable. This can be plugged to any 12V field battery
to power StellarMate.

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5. Quick Start Guide.
6. MicroSD Card 32GB U1 or larger depending on checkout selection (already inserted to
StellarMate Plus with SM OS 1.5.3).
7. Optional Mount to USB cable (can be purchased separately on checkout).
IMPORTANT
A 32GB (or more, depending on your order) MicroSD card is already inserted into
the StellarMate Gadget when it is shipped. It might have moved or detached
during shipping, please make sure it is secured into its designated slot at the
bottom of the unit.
Connect the USB-C power supply cable to StellarMate Plus and then turn power on. You
should initially see a solid red light with occasional flashes of green. Wait for 30 seconds,
your StellarMate Plus is now ready to be used!
https://www.youtube.com/embed/2cOau9jBeJo
Introduction
StellarMate Plus is the Next Generation Internet-of-Things Astrophotography controller! The
principle behind StellarMate is simple:

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1. Connect your equipment (Mount, DSLR/CCD, Focuser, Filter Wheel, etc.) to
StellarMate via USB/Bluetooth or Network.
2. Connect to StellarMate from either your Mobile, Tablet, or Laptop/Desktop Computer.
3. Start controlling your observatory and imaging from any major platform (Desktop or
Mobile).
A complete free astrophotography tool is shipped with StellarMate: Ekos . You can either
use the built-in Ekos Astrophotogoraphy Tool, or download it on your Windows®, Mac®
OS, or Linux® computers to remotely control StellarMate from anywhere!
In addition to Ekos, StellarMate is compatible with many more applications, including
PixInsight, PHD2, Sky Chart, and many more!
From controlling an alone mount in the field to the orchestration of state of the art
observatory, StellarMate is the solution you have been waiting for.
Quick Startup
The following is the quick startup guide to getting StellarMate Plus up and running in a few
minutes using your phone/tablet:
1. Download Stellarmate App from the Android/iOS store.
2. Launch the App and Register an account.
3. Connect the power adapter to StellarMate and turn power on.
4. Open network settings in your phone/tablet and connect to the StellarMate WiFi
hotspot.
5. Open StellarMate App. Go to Setup tab. Click Rescan .
6. After StellarMate is detected, click on it.
7. Start the default Simulators equipment profile or create a new equipment profile.
8. Go to Ekos tab and start using your equipment.
9. Check StellarMate network settings and status from the Device tab.
Specifications
StellarMate Plus is based on Raspberry PI 4B, a proven platform for embedded computers
for many years.
· SoC : Broadcom BCM2711 64-bit SoC
· CPU : Quad core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) @ 1.5GHz
· GPU : Broadcom VideoCore VI
· Memory : 2 GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM
· Real Time Clock (DS3231) with battery.
· Storage : 32GB MicroSD card class 10.
· USB 2 USB 3.0 ports; 2 USB 2.0 ports.
· Network : Gigabit Ethernet, 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth
5.0, BLE
· Mini HDMI : 1.8m Gold Plated Mini HDMI cable.
· Power : 3A 5V USB-C power supply. Specify which plug type you want on checkout.
· 12v to 5v USB-C 2-meter cable. Power SM Plus on the field from any 12v power
source.
RTC module: StellarMate Plus ships with a Real-Time Clock with battery to keep
StellarMate Plus time accurate even when power is off. A real-time clock is critical for

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accurate astronomy & astrophotography work.
Passwords
· The default StellarMate OS password is smate
· The default StellarMate WiFi HotSpot password is stellar@mate
Learning StellarMate
For new users, using StellarMate effectively can take a bit of a learning curve (like
everything else) especially given the breadth of the features if provides. Here are some
useful resources to get you started:
· First Time Setup tutorial.
· StellarMate Video tutorials.
· Ekos Video Tutorials.
StellarMate App
You can connect to StellarMate Plus Controller in several ways, including:
1. StellarMate Mobile App for Tablets.
2. PC/Mac using KStars .
3. Any Web browser or VNC client.
StellarMate App is the Official App for StellarMate gadget. It is available for both Android
and iOS smartphones and tablets. It is primary designed for tablets in portrait mode. While
it can be used for phones, for the best experience, use it with a tablet/iPad. Download and
install the App on your device before you continue.
StellarMate on the Google Play StellarMate on the App Store
WARNING
The App is required to connect to the unit and configure it for first-time use, so do

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this step now and do not skip ahead!
Registration
When using StellarMate App for the first time, you need to register your device, or sign in
using your existing stellarmate.com credentials:
1. StellarMate Plus and StellarMate Plus: If you purchased an SM+ or SM Pro device, you
need to register the device first before proceeding. Click on the Register button and
then follow the on screen guide.
2. StellarMate OS: If you purchased StellarMate OS, or already have registered the device
before, you can simply sign in using your stellarmate.com username and password.
Beware that you must be connected to the internet for the initial sign in to proceed. After
sign in is successful, no internet connection is required and you can switch network to
StellarMate hotspot if desired.
IMPORTANT
The StellarMate Mobile App requires a QR Code (on the back of StellarMate
Controller) in order to operate the StellarMate Controller. NO registration is
required to use the StellarMate Controller if you intend to use it directly via Web or
via Ekos client on Mac/PC/Linux. This step is only required if you want to use
the StellarMate Mobile App. You can continue to use StellarMate as is, including
accessing the Web Manager and VNC:
Web Manager URL : http://stellarmate.local:8624
Web VNC URL : http://stellarmate.local:6080

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QR Code
If you received the StellarMate Controller, you will find the Device QR Code on the back of
the unit.
If you purchased StellarMate OS, the Device Serial Number is automatically generated for
you.
Steps
Register your controller after downloading the SM App. Make sure your tablet is connected
to the internet.
1. Launch StellarMate App on iOS or Android.
2. Tap on the Register button.
3. Enter registration information to sign up in StellarMate website and then click Next .
4. Scan the QR Code found at the back of the unit.
After registration is successful, you will be logged in automatically. Check your email for
your license and login information.
Setup
Go to your mobile OS WiFi settings and connect to the StellarMate hotspot.
Hotspot : stellarmate
Password : stellar@mate
IMPORTANT
Before using the StellarMate App to configure your unit for the first time, please
use the networking settings in your iOS/Android phone/tablet to connect to the

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HotSpot first. Once connected, proceed to run the StellarMate App.
After connecting to StellarMate, go back to the App:
· Tap on RESCAN to start the scanning process. Discovered devices would be listed on
the left side pane.

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· After StellarMate is detected, tap on it to establish connection. Wait for a few seconds
and the LED would turn green indicating a stable successful connection.
The right side pane should now display the Equipment Profile page. Now you are ready to
connect to your astronomical equipment.
Connecting your devices
Most astronomical equipment such as telescopes, cameras, filter wheels, and focusers
connect via a USB cable. To add your devices, you need to create a new Equipment
Profile. Tap on the Add (+) icon next to the profiles to start the equipment profile wizard. In
case you face issues with your INDI driver configurations, you can restore all configuration

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to default by clicking on the Clear Driver Config. button.
You can select the drivers for your devices manually, or you can let StellarMate detect them
automatically by tapping on the Auto Detect button on the top-right corner. You can then
insert each device and wait for a confirmation after it gets detected. Sometimes you need
to confirm the type of device before you can continue. This is especially important when
using serial To USB adapters that are used for mounts and focusers.
After all drivers are selected, enter the desired profile name and tap Save .

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Adding Telescopes
You can specify a Primary Scope and a Guide Scope for your equipment profile. Tap on
the Add button next to the primary scope to enter the details of the telescope. All units are
in millimeters .You can specify a Primary Scope and a Guide Scope for your equipment
profile. Tap on the Add button next to the primary scope to enter the details of the
telescope. All units are in millimeters . Optionally, you can also add a Guide scope if
desired.
Optionally, you can also add a Guide scope if desired.
Please use descriptive information as illustrated above to make it easy to select
telescopes in the future. After the telescope is added, select it from the dropdown menu.
Your equipment profile is now ready. Tap Start to establish connection to your devices.
Ports
StellarMate uses a number of ports for different services:
5624: SSH Port
7624: INDI Server Port
8624: INDI Web Manager Port
6080: Web VNC Port
5900: VNC Server Port
80: StellarMate Dashboard
To make StellarMate accessible from internet, some of the ports could be open in the

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firewall. However, there is no authentication/authorization portal provided by StellarMate,
so only open portals at your own risk or by providing an additional layer of security. The
minimum required ports that have to be opened to allow using INDI remotely over the
internet are ports 7624 and 8624 .
Port Selector
Your equipment profile may contain one or more serial port and/or network-enabled
devices. Before establishing connection to such devices for the first time, StellarMate Port
Selector tool helps you to assign the appropiate ports and addresses for each. Serial
devices may include mounts, focuser, and filter wheels using USB-to-Serial adapters. You
need to know the baud rate for the device as by default it is set to 9600.
Port Selector is not applicable to pure USB Devices such as Cameras.
For networked devices over Ethernet or WiFi, you need to supply the device hostname or
IP address and the device port. This information is usually supplied by your device
manufacturer. It is important to ensure that all networked devices are within the same
network as StellarMate. For example, if StellarMate is operating in hotspot mode (IP
10.250.250.1) then your network-enabled device must be connected to the same hotspot
network and have an IP address in this range (e.g. 10.250.250.5). On the otherhand, when
StellarMate is operating in infrastrcture mode (i.e. it is connected to an external WiFi
network like Home WiFi), then the other network-enabled devices must be connected to
the same network in order for all devices to talk to each other.
The Port Selector dialog can be accessed as any time by click on the Port Selector button.
When creating an equipment profile for the first time, it is automatically opened so you can
configure the ports before establishing connection to your devices either individually or via
clicking Connect All buton.
You can specify the ports for serial and network devices using the Port Selector.
.

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Connection Status
· Green : device is connected.
· Yellow : connecting to device.
· Red: connecting to device failed.
Connection Mode
· Serial: For mounts, filter wheels, and focusers that are connected via a Serial-to-USB
adapter. To connect to serial devices, you need to select the port and baud rate.
StellarMate provides the detected system ports in a dropdown menu to select from, but
you can also enter your own port manually.
· Network: For any network-enabled device (e.g. Mounts over WiFi like SkyWatcher AZ-
Gti).To connect to networked devices, ensure they are connected to the same network
where StellarMate is connected to. You need to enter the hostname or preferably the IP
address of the device in addition to the connection port and connection type (TCP or
UDP).
Baud Rate : Set the devices baud rate
Connect All : Connects to all the devices and closes the Port Selector
When connecting a serial device, you can specify the port by selecting from the dropdown
or typing it in the text field

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For network devices, you have to specify the hostname or IP of the device and the port.
Also you can choose the network type (TCP/UDP).
Weather Inforrmation
Weather Information are available in the setup page. The weather bar displays current
weather information for the surrounded region. It provides the current state of the weather,
temperature, wind speed, humidity and the Bortle Class. The Bortle Class is a measure of

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the brightness and observability of the sky relative to light pollution. Bortle Class 1 is ideal
and 9 is the worst.
The cloud button displays the 3-hour cloud map based on your current location.
The visibility bar displays the percentage of cloud coverage over the map.

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Ekos
When an equipment profile is not started, only the Ekos Scheduler module is available for
use. From the scheduler, you may select targets and sequences to create jobs. You may
specify job constraints and observatory startup and shutdown procedures. Once the
scheduler is running, it will select the best targets to image and would automate the rest of
the workflow without any human intervention.
When an equipment profile is started, the Ekos modules becomes active. In the Ekos
screen, you can capture images, stream video, and create image sequences.
Furthermore, it provides the following facilities:
Canvas on Main Image:
You can center the mount to a specific target in the main image if plate-solving was
successful. From Ekos Align module, Capture and Solve an image. If successful, an
orange align icon is displayed in the Main Image View indicating that solving is successful.
For any subsequent images captured and displayed in the Main Image View, you may now
select the target by tapping on it. A red bullseye animation designates the target.

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Tap and hold the target for approximately one second to command the mount to slew. If
successful, the indicator icon changes to yellow and once motion is complete, it switches to
green. Capture a preview to verify the mount indeed centered the target as desired.
Repeat if necessary. Can also be seen in the below images.
Hold on your desired target, mount will star moving to that specifc target. Yellow
animation will be appeared while it in in process.