Can I control my Celestron GoTo mount with programs like Maxim DL?

Yes, you can.

Such programs connect to the mount via ASCOM (Astronomy Common Object Model). ASCOM provides a standard interface for a range of astronomy equipment including mounts, focusers and imaging devices in a Microsoft Windows environment.

For Maxim DL, this is done on the “Observatory” screen, which also has options to control focusers, domes etc.

In order to take advantage of these control features, you should download ASCOM Platform 6 from the ASCOM Initiatives website downloads page:

http://ascom-standards.org/Downloads/Index.htm

Once the platform is installed, download the Celestron Unified driver for ASCOM:

http://download.ascom-standards.org/drivers/Celestron(5.0.28)Setup.exe

Updated 12/3/13