Controlling Skywatcher mounts on Linux
Hi Andrew — good to see your interest in Linux astro-control setups (especially given your radio astronomy background!). For a Sky‑Watcher mount (SynScan-based) under Linux, here’s a breakdown of what works and what the limitations are — plus recommendations.
✅ What does work on Linux
- The ASCOM driver platform (which is Windows-centric) is not native to Linux. According to users:
“There’s **no ASCOM for Linux. There, devices are handled via INDI…” (Cloudy Nights)
- For Linux you want to use the INDI system (Instrument Neutral Distributed Interface) which is widely used in the astronomy community for mounts, focusers, cameras, domes etc. (Stargazers Lounge)
- In particular, there is an INDI driver for Sky-Watcher SynScan mounts:
The webpage lists a driver “SynScan” under INDI for Sky-Watcher with “Platforms: Linux, BSD, OSX” (INDI Library)
- Discussion threads show that users of e.g. an EQ5-Pro mount are connecting with INDI (rather than ASCOM) on Linux:
“It has two drivers for Skywatcher mounts … There’s no ASCOM for Linux. …” (Cloudy Nights)
So: yes you can control your Sky-Watcher mount on Linux — but via INDI, not the native Sky-Watcher/ASCOM driver intended for Windows.
⚠️ What does not work (or under-supported)
- The official ASCOM Platform drivers from Sky-Watcher (SynScan Hand Controller / SynScan App) are for Windows: e.g. “ASCOM Driver for SynScan App … for Windows 10/11” (skywatcher.com)
- While one might attempt to run ASCOM under Wine or via .NET compatibility layers, this is typically cumbersome and not recommended.
- Some advanced features (pulse guiding, advanced pointing models, etc) may be better under the Windows/EQMOD ecosystem rather than INDI, though INDI is plenty capable.
- If your mount only supports connection via the hand-controller serial port (older models) rather than a direct USB port, you will face extra complexity (adapters, drivers) on Linux.
🔧 What I’d Recommend Based on Your Setup
Given you’re an amateur radio astronomer (so presumably used to working with data and Linux tools) and you want to run on Linux, here’s how to get it going:
- Check your mount’s interface
- Does your Sky-Watcher mount have a USB port on the mount’s body (or via the hand controller) that appears as a serial port on the computer?
- If yes – good, that simplifies the connection. If not, you may need the “hand controller in PC-direct mode + special cable” route (more fiddly).
- Example: Users noted newer Sky-Watcher mounts have a USB port on the front panel. (Cloudy Nights)
- Use INDI
- On your Linux machine, install INDI and use the “indi_synscan_telescope” driver (or whichever driver matches your model) from the INDI library. (INDI Library)
- You may use a frontend like KStars + Ekos which integrates well with INDI.
- Ensure the serial port is configured correctly (baud rate, USB-serial adapter permissions, etc).
- Set up the mount
- Make sure your mount’s firmware is up to date (e.g., SynScan firmware versions shown from Sky-Watcher). (Sky-Watcher USA)
- If using the hand-controller path: ensure the controller mode is set properly (PC-Direct mode if required). Many forum posts emphasise this. (Cloudy Nights)
- Connect and test
- In Ekos/INDI: choose the correct driver, select the port (e.g., /dev/ttyUSB0) with the right baud rate.
- Test slewing, parking/unparking, and syncing to a star.
- For guiding: if you also have a guide camera, you can route guiding commands through INDI. Many users report success. (Reddit)
- Consider advanced features
- If you want more advanced mount control (multi-star alignment, advanced pulse guiding), you might look at third-party drivers/projects e.g. EQMod (Windows centric) or other INDI modules.
- But for most amateur use under Linux, INDI’s SynScan driver combined with KStars/Ekos is very capable.
📝 Summary
Yes — you can drive your Sky-Watcher mount on Linux — but you’ll want to use INDI rather than expecting the Sky-Watcher ASCOM driver (which is Windows only). With the right cable, interface, and driver (e.g., indi_synscan_telescope), you should be able to achieve full mount control, slewing, parking, guiding, etc.