ExploreStars Envision 2.5.0.5
Two improvements on top of 2.5.0.4: the server now runs on ordinary PC Linux, and the whole
app follows your language setting.
The server runs on PC Linux now
The PWA-server bundle — the piece that lets phones, tablets and other programs share one mount —
now runs on ordinary PC Linux desktops (Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora), not just Mac and
Raspberry Pi.
Previously it stopped with a "Caddy not found" error on a PC Linux box, because the built-in web
server was only bundled for Mac and Raspberry Pi. It is now included for 64-bit PC Linux as well,
so the only thing you install is Node.js — the same as on a Mac.
If the server can't start, it now keeps the window open with the reason, instead of vanishing
before you can read it.
The whole app follows your language setting
Every page — Setup, Firmware Config, Star Alignment, the calculators and the rest — is now fully
translated. Choosing a language on the Setup page localizes the app throughout, not just the main
screens. Eleven languages are supported.
Downloads
| File | For |
|---|---|
ExploreStars-Envision-v2.5.0.5-android.apk |
Android phones and tablets — sideload |
ExploreStars-Envision-v2.5.0.5-windows.zip |
Windows 10/11 desktop app |
ExploreStars-Envision-v2.5.0.5-pwa-server.zip |
The server, for sharing one mount with phones, tablets and other programs (Windows, Mac, PC Linux, Raspberry Pi) |
SHA256SUMS.txt |
Checksums for the three files above |
Upgrading
Replace your previous download. Settings, catalogues and saved alignment models are unaffected.
Mac users: macOS blocks programs downloaded from the internet, so do the one-time Terminal
launch for the new download — open Terminal, type bash , drag start-servers.sh in, press
Return. Every launch after that is an ordinary double-click.
PC Linux users: install Node.js (sudo apt install nodejs) if you don't have it; the web
server (Caddy) is now bundled, so there's nothing else to install.
If the app looks wrong after updating — for example the bottom navigation bar is missing —
your browser is still showing the previous version from its offline cache. Open the app in a
private window to confirm, then clear that site's data and fully quit and reopen the browser.
Independence, trademarks & license
ExploreStars Envision™ is an independent application that controls Explore Scientific™ PMC-Eight™
telescope mounts. The application code and project materials are authored and owned by Wes McDonald
except where third-party credits are listed below. If Explore Scientific, LLC recommends, endorses,
promotes, or distributes the app, that endorsement should be understood as support for use of an
independently authored application within the PMC-Eight ecosystem, not as Explore Scientific
authorship or ownership of the app.
Explore Scientific™, ExploreStars™, and PMC-Eight™ are trademarks of Explore Scientific,
LLC, and are used here with acknowledgement. ExploreStars Envision™ is a trademark of Wes McDonald.
ExploreStars Envision™ is provided as a compiled binary for personal use with the Explore Scientific™
PMC-Eight™ mount. The source code is not publicly distributed. Redistribution of the unmodified binary
is permitted; modification, reverse engineering, decompilation, and source extraction are not. The
software is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind. Full data & software attributions are in
LICENSES.md, included with the download.
Copyright © 2026 Wes McDonald. All rights reserved.