Quote:
Originally Posted by OzStarGazer
I made more experiments with the compass... Outside (on the balcony) it's not that bad. But inside (in front of the balcony) the needles points towards my main door... I tried to cover up locks, clothes racks etc. but the needle still points in that direction.
Well, I guess if I can use it outside it should be enough, although the compass didn't seem to be perfect. Maybe 90%. As I said, I could buy something to cover up the balcony railing.
Like you, Sil, I would be happy enough to get some help with it. It doesn't have to be perfect... 
Still waiting for Celestron to answer... |
Covering the metal won't make any difference, as magnetic fields will penetrate wood, plastic, fabric, etc.
In my experience, electronic compasses (as used in smartphones etc) aren't hugely affected by nearby metal until you are within 100 mm or so, but keep well away from magnets. Smartphones usually have a little "calibration dance" where you wave the device in a figure-of-8 a couple of times, and that helps the compass find local magnetic North and work out which way is up - try that with the Celestron device and see if it helps.
I would suspect a bigger factor on poor alignment will be the GPS, which needs a clear sky view to be able to "see" the satellites. If you're using it indoors or from a covered veranda, it will only have a very limited sky view, and that can severely impact it's accuracy. Current generation GPS sensors are very sensitive, and can get a good fix in very challenging circumstances, but the Celestron is quite a few years old, and won't have a very sensitive receiver, so may need a good clear sky view to work well.
Hope this helps.