I've added a driver to the tree for the NexDome observatory dome. NexDome is located in the 3rdparty tree, it could have gone into the main branch but, I plan to add firmware update capability for the dome controller which will involve carrying hex files along with the driver, hence the placement into the 3rdparty tree.

NexDome is an affordable 2.2 meter observatory dome. The controller to rotate the dome is shipping, the controller for the shutter is in prototype form and not yet shipping, but should be real soon now.

The dome controller is based on an arduino leonardo, for which I wrote the firmware to control the dome.

We currently have one dome installed here, and will be installing a second one in the very near future as we finish construction on our 'his and hers' observatory setup. We live in a rural area on northern vancouver island, under a fairly dark sky. The domes are located about 420 feet from the house, and we put an optical fiber data link between the dome platforms and the house, so it can all be operated remotely.

NexDome folks took a different tack than most astro companies with regards to automation. When I first met them a little over a year ago, they said the goal was an entirely open source solution so that folks so inclined, can tinker with the setup as much as they want. So, the controllers are based on an arduino leonardo type of board, and the firmware for the controllers is all on github. All the drivers have been made available in source form on github as well.

This is a first release, there will be more updates over time as we add capabilities to the system.

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