[AZ-Observing] Re: MESSIER 2 declination error

AJ,
I just powered up my Meade 16" f/10. I picked Arcturus as the first star 
for it to slew to from the hand paddle. Sometimes I need to sync on the 
first object and this is why I do this.  It took a GPS reading and 
slewed to it. This night it was almost in the center of my old 20mm wide 
angle Meade eyepiece and so I did not have to sync it. I then selected 
M2 from the hand paddle. It slewed to it and, again, the globular was 
almost in the center of the eyepiece. I had my doubts it would be so 
accurate since it is is low in the horizon at this time of the night.

Meade's software on the 16" has no problem finding M2.
Stan

AJ Crayon wrote:

>Has anyone had problems locating M2 with digital setting circles or a GoTo 
>system?  This involves any of the electronic systems.
>I have run across declination errors with this entry on the XP4 Flash Sky 
>Commander digital setting circles and on Orions SynScan GoTo system.  Reason 
>is because the declination is -0° 49' and the way computer hardware handles 
>-0.  Turns out most computers convert -0 to +0 resulting in incorrect 
>calculations.
>
>I corrected my version of XP4 with an update the the Messier catalog when this 
>was discovered some time ago.  I have just found the problem in the SynScan 
>system and notified Orion this morning.
>
>So, I ask, has anyone else had problems with their system finding M2?
>
>AJ Crayon
>Phoenix, AZ
>
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