GPS for Amateur Astronomer: How Wrong Can You Be?

Abstract

For the purpose of positioning and continuous tracking to celestrial objects using computerised telescope, the geographic position of the telescope to be known to I arcminute accuracy. Quite recently, GPS has been use for telescope positioning. Although GPS derived coordinate is not the geographical coordinate as needed for telescope positioning, further analyses has found that the total error in its derived position amounted to be less than the I arcminute accuracy requirement. Hence, it is O.K. to use GPS for telescope positioning.