How do you polar align a telescope in the southern hemisphere?

You need a good star chart because most of the stars are faint. Then you are just going to have to spot a pair of bright key stars for which the pole lies half way in between, and wrestle your polar axis so that it lines up with that spot. I have never had to do this, but Sigma Octans is less than 1 degree from the south celestial pole and might be a good 'Polaris' mimic!


Copyright 1997 Dr. Sten Odenwald
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