// kstars · simulation run
A full Ekos session on the Simulators profile
A complete, Scheduler-driven imaging session run entirely on the INDI Simulators profile — no telescope, camera or mount required. I verify each module works, build a Scheduler job for M33, then let Ekos run focus, align, guide and capture automatically. Once the stack is installed, this is the same end-to-end workflow you'd use under real skies — ideal for learning Ekos or rehearsing a sequence before a clear night. Watch it run below, then follow the written steps.
The session, step by step
- Start KStars & check the night. Launch KStars and confirm the simulated clock is set to night, so the sky is properly dark — just like a real session.
- Connect the Simulators profile. KStars → Ekos → pick the built-in Simulators profile → Connect, and confirm it's the profile you want — telescope, camera, focuser, filter wheel and guider, all simulated and green.
- Verify each module works. Before automating anything, check the parts: the camera takes a frame, the focuser moves and runs an autofocus, and the align module captures & solves. With real gear you'd also confirm the guide camera is working and in focus — in the simulator that step is just a formality.
- Create a Scheduler job — search M33. Open the Scheduler and find your target (here, M33).
- Select the optical train. Point the job at the optical train for the camera you're imaging with.
- Load the sequence file. Attach the .esq sequence that holds the exposure settings for each filter.
- Set the constraints. Add a minimum altitude, and a moon-separation angle if you need it, so the job only runs when conditions are right.
- Add to the Scheduler and run. Start it and step back — Ekos runs all four procedures automatically: focus → align → guide → capture, repeating them through the whole sequence with zero hardware.
New here? Start with the Ubuntu setup guide, and once you're imaging for real, build a dark library to keep autofocus and alignment clean.