I use a magnetic compass and find it perfectly good enough for all but the most extreme long exposure shots.
I use a GOOD QUALITY hand held compass - not that rubbish from Aldi or toy shops. I got mine from a boating shop.
Make sure you are not near a large mass of metal - such as the shed with 25 car bodies in it
Find out your local magnetic variation - here in Brissie it is 12 degrees East Your location in Newcastle will probably be fairly similar.
Remember the nautical adage "Variation East steer least. Variation West, steer best. " ie for EAST variation, I point my compass needle to point exactly 168 degrees (180 - 12) The compass is now pointing due south.
So get the scope axis pointing here.
Then, you want to get the other axis pointing up the correct amount. This is simply the angle from horizontal equal to your latitude. Brissie latitude is 27.5 degrees south. Newcastle will be more. Get a piece of plywood and with a bit of schoolboy trigonometry, cut out a right angle triangle - say about 400 mm long - with one of the angles being 27.5 degrees. Then with the long side in line with the axis of your scope, the upper side of the plywood will be approximately level. Adjust with a builders level until it is, and the long side will be pointing up the correct amount. Line your scope axis up with this.
I know this seems a bit complicated, but I have used my piece of plywood for 14 years now and it only takes a few minutes,
I have taken 25 minute exposures and longer with this method and have not got any elliptical stars. Of course for just optical viewing, the scope will stay on target all night.
Hope this helps
