ASCOM + IDL

[Andrew Cool]

HI All,

Has anyone written an ASCOM interface to drive a small telescope mount, e.g. a SkyWatcher EQ6?

I just want to move he mount over a 60x60 degrees matrix in altaz in steps of 1 degree, taking a reading from a sensor at each point.

Some of you must be "amateur" astronomers, surely,...;-)

Andrew

PS : I'd even take an LX200 serial protocol!

[alx]

Hello Andrew,

It should likely be possible through ASCOM but, personnally, I am not using ASCOM. 

More simply, since your telescope comes from SW, the mount must obey to the SYNSCAN protocol (that ASCOM is using).

This is a very simple ascii character serial protocol which, I think, can be direcly managed from IDL (through an USB/RS232 port, depending on your machine).

You may easily find the protocol description on the Web, under ''NexStar Communication Protocol".

Cheers,

Alain.