XmTel Research Telescope Control Software

XmTel uses the XPA interface for extensible connection to the operating system and scripting. It is compatible with Clear Sky Institute's XEphem which is highly recommended for interactive operation.

XmCCD is a similar XPA package for controlling Apogee and Santa Barbara Instrument Group (SBIG) scientific CCD cameras.

• Support for several commercial telescopes and controllers under Linux ...
• Celestron NexStar
• Meade LX200
• Planewave Instruments A200HR
• Sidereal Technology
• Mountings using Galil Motion controllers based on your own design
• Software Bisque Paramount ME (requires RTS2 library)
• RC Optical Systems specialized Professional Series mount (on request)


• In the current version of XmTel ...
• Tested with Opensuse 13.1 and 13.2
• Offers command line and scripted operation using XPA
• Offers remote operation through web services
• Compatible with XEphem sky software and XmCCD camera software
• Uses precision encoders if available to provide software guiding
• Includes pointing model corrections
• Offers both epoch 2000.0 or epoch of date coordinates
• Supports queue files
• Maintains a pointing log and observatory status files

Version 7 includes the XPA server, telescope drivers, a client, utility software, and a standalone option that does not use XPA. Examples of cgi scripts and Ajax/javascript web sites are included to enable operating a telescope through an httpd server. When the xpaserver is running, the supplied utilities permit command line control.

During the installation you will have to select which telescope you will use before building the binaries. The Motif development libraries are needed to build XmTel. If you can compile XEphem then you should have the tools to compile XmTel. There is limited program installation and usage documentation in the package. A detailed user manual will be available soon.

• Latest version 7.1 updated June 18, 2015
• Previous versions and support for INDI