Ekos

Ekos is an integrated astrophotography workflow system that is part of the KStars astronomy software. It provides an automated pipeline for capturing astronomical images by coordinating telescope mounts, cameras, guiding devices, focusers, filter wheels, and other equipment through the INDI protocol. Ekos is open source and designed to run across multiple operating systems as part of the KStars suite.

The software is organized into modular components that cover the typical imaging workflow. The Capture module handles exposure settings such as exposure time, binning, and readout. The Focus module performs autofocus and can incorporate temperature compensation to maintain image sharpness. The Align and Plate Solving module uses plate solving to determine precise telescope pointing and to perform automatic alignment. The Guide module controls autoguiding with a guide camera to correct tracking during long exposures. The Scheduler enables automated sessions, including sequencing of captures, dithering, and calibration frame acquisition. Ekos can integrate weather data and observatory automation features to manage safe operation.

Ekos relies on the INDI device server to communicate with hardware such as mounts, cameras, focusers, filter wheels, and guiding cameras. It provides a graphical user interface that allows users to plan, execute, and monitor sessions within a single environment, along with logs, status indicators, and troubleshooting tools. As an open-source project, Ekos is actively developed by a community of volunteers and astronomers, with ongoing improvements in device support and workflow capabilities.