A compass.

Where the hell can i buy a cheap compass to stick onto my polar axis?

I have tried Argos but they are out of stock and dont know when they will have them.

I ask because i cant see Polaris from my observing position in my garden and by the time i tell my skyscout to find it.............and align my scope up to it...............i have forgotten exactly where it is.

If i had a nice little compass stuck to my polar axis.............it would make aligning the scope so much easier.

I can do it manually by guess work.........then tweak the mount east or west to get a good alignment.................but it aint perfect.

I know you only need a PERFECT polar alignment if you want to do astrophoto's but i'd like to set my scope up to give the least amount of drift and the max viewing time of objects.

I had it down to a T once and i could view the moon for about 7 mins before i had to start chasing itusing RA. But that was a one off.

There is a great little camping shop on capel street. is there a block of flats obstructing your view of Polaris.

I thought of the army/camping shops on Capel street.To my north there are a couple of central heating boiler chimney (on the neighbours shed) and trees in the next garden and light pollution from street lamps.

I have next to no view N from where i am.

If you check a nearby tree you will find the moss growing on side facing north. Alternatively, get a loan of someones elses compass and having identified the exact flat get the bugger inside to paint a mark with luminescent paint on his outside wall :roll: .

Btw I was in that shop last week and bought some boots and shoes.

The LX200GPS came with a compass to go on the central thread connecting it to the tripod. With all that metal I was concerned about how accurate it would be. I was right to be concerned. As an ex geologist I have about 5 compasses in the house and all are top of the range. The compass on the scope was 5 degrees off! Nothing more than a gimmick. I then wondered about Meades claim that the scope detects true north?

Just remember a compass will not point to polaris. It will point to the magnetic north, and the magnetic north and true north are different.
I don't know about Irish locations, but in America, when a compass indicates its pointing to north, here is what it is pointing to:

Seattle 22 degs E of North
Bismarck. ND 10 degs E of North
Chicago, IL 1 deg W of North
Detroit, MI 6 degs W of North
Buffalo, NY 10 degs W of North
New York City 15 degs W of North
Los Angeles 14 degs E of North
El Paso, TX 10 degs E of North
New Orleans 3 degs E of North
Charleston 5 degs W of North
Wash, D.C. 10 degs W of North

And so using this to align a scope would be pretty much pointless