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Old 04-02-2013, 07:59 PM
BFUBBS
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BFUBBS is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Perth, Australia
Posts: 12
Short tracking time/flat batteries

I am new here and while browsing the forums I have noticed that people have mentioned goto/tracking scopes are good for an hour or two before they run out of batteries (unless plugged into a car cigarette lighter or mains). I solved this problem by purchasing a jump starter pack from supercheap auto. I have since used it twice for about 6 hours each night, never turning tracking off and it is still registering as fully charged. I am guessing that I could get about 30 nights out of it before I run out of batteries... Also if you are using multiple scopes that track you can get jumper packs with two cigarette lighter points to run two scopes.

Hope this helps those that track with out a power source nearby or in groups or those that just don't want to waste money on batteries.

My question is this: I have a celestron nexstar 8 and its Auto align feature is always off (not accurate), for those that are familiar it uses lat/long, date/time, alignment to north whilst level and known two stars to triangulate itself. Should I be using true north or magnetic north for alignment?

Also if anyone can point out a good spot for viewing, I live in Kelmscott, Western Australia and was hoping for somewhere south east of Perth, within an hour or so. I currently use my old high school oval but the half dozen or so street lights are making it difficult to go above magnitude 6 or 7.
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