Just as the Sun rises and sets each day, the Moon, stars, and planets appear to move across the night sky as the Earth rotates on its axis. Keeping celestial objects centered in the eyepiece as they move is one of the greatest challenges for new amateur astronomers. Especially when observing in a large group or with small children, it can be difficult to make sure your target remains centered so everyone can enjoy the view.
Celestron’s motor drive accessory solves this problem quickly and easily. This simple, easy-to-use device attaches to your existing Celestron AstroMaster or PowerSeeker telescope (with German equatorial mount) so you can track objects along the Right Ascension (RA) axis.
To use the motor drive, align your telescope with the north celesial pole (Polaris or the North Star). From there, center your target as you normally would and turn on the motor drive. The tracking speed is adjustable so you can use this drive to follow the Moon, planets, nebulae, and other targets. With the motor drive, you can view more objects in a single night, even when viewing with a large group.
The Celestron Motor Drive for AstroMaster/PowerSeeker EQ Telescopes runs on an included 9 volt battery. A single battery provides up to 40 hours of running time.