Where do I mount the bubble level?

[thomasr]

I'm a little confused about the bubble level that came with my 6SE.

It has an adhesive pad, which tells me I'm supposed to permanently affix it somehow to the top plate of the tripod. But there is no gap or pocket anywhere between the mating surfaces of the tripod and the telescope's goto mount. So my current routine is to set up the tripod, go find that tiny bubble level at the bottom of whatever toy box it's fallen into, level the scope, remove the bubble level and put it away, affix the scope, and start observing.

What I'd love to be able to do is to level the scope while keeping it attached to the tripod - fewer steps and hassles mean more times I'll actually use the scope.

[Cornelius Varley]

The manual and the Celestron set-up video show a bubble level without a self adhesive back. If the bubble level can't be permanently attached to the base plate you could attach it to a flat washer / piece of flat plastic and use it as shown in the video.

[Ruud]

My bubble level is still in the box. I just eyeball the 6SE to level, that's enough.

If you feel you need a level, get a more useful and better level that what came with the scope.

[thomasr]

I just eyeball the 6SE to level, that's enough.

And you still get good GoTo performance?

[ronin]

When you performed the alignment the software will determine the corrections required - level being one it has to account for, using the bubble level and setting it as well as makes sense then there are less errors to correct for and it should be better.

Using a level takes no more time then doing it by eye. With a level you know what has to be adjusted - put it on the base and simply look at what needs to be adjusted, by eye you are assessing everything once or twice and both will use much the same time up.

I like a bubble level as the Meades are based on Level and North as a absolute start position for both mount and tube.

[Ruud]

And you still get good GoTo performance?

Yes goto works fine. The target is just about always somewhere in my 26mm Plossl's view.  Maybe it helps that I enter a very precise location and local time. I suppose the mount can calculate to a certain extent how much tilt and other errors it has to compensate for.

Auto Two Star works best for me.

Three star alignment doesn't work that well, so I gave up on that. 

[LukeSkywatcher]

I put my bubble level over the celestron badge on the base of the mount where the AA batteries can be placed.

[ddtwelve12]

I use to have the 6se and never used the small bubble that came with it , personally id use a carpenters 6 inch metal bubble level on the base then sit the scope on top when level so you don't  have to fight with the weight of the scope when in use