A telescope mount is a key part of any astronomical instrument. It needs to be rock solid and stable to avoid any vibrations that may cause the tube to move and spoil your view of the stars.
There are different types of telescope mounts, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. This article will help you make an informed decision about which type of mount is right for you.
Table of Contents
Alt-Az Mounts
Alt-az mounts are the most simple telescope mounts with only two axes of motion; altitude (vertical) and azimuth (horizontal). These mounts are popular with both amateur and professional astronomers for their ease of use and intuitive design. They can be operated manually with a push-pull mechanism or by wireless control using an app on a tablet or smartphone.
Most of these mounts are very lightweight and easy to transport. They also allow you to see the night sky quickly and easily, as they do not require a lot of setup time. They are especially good for beginner astronomers who may not be familiar with the techniques of setting up their telescope.
In addition to the axis of movement, some of these mounts have a camera rotator that can be used for astrophotography. This camera rotator is designed to compensate for field rotation, which is caused by an object’s apparent movement over the course of a short exposure.
Another option for astrophotographers is to convert their altaz mount into an equatorial mount, by using an equatorial wedge. This add-on effectively turns your alt-az mount into an equatorial one, and it can be very useful for long-exposure astrophotography.
Although equatorial mounts are much more complicated to operate than alt-az mounts, they are the most versatile and are essential for astrophotography. Equatorial mounts can move a telescope around the sky, and they are also more stable than other types of telescope mounts.
They typically have a heavy base that holds the telescope and a large set of counterweights that balance the weight of the scope. They also usually feature a tripod that allows for a variety of positions.
Many of these mounts are available with either a single or double arm and can be used for a variety of types of telescopes. Most of them come with a standard Losmandy or Vixen-style mounting bar and have ports for connecting a Go-To hand controller and an external power supply.
Some of these mounts have a specialized Dobsonian design that allows you to attach a larger telescope. These Dobsonian mounts are often made of wood and feature a wide base that sits low to the ground. This design makes it easy to mount an oversized telescope.
Equatorial Mounts
Equatorial mounts are the most common type of telescope mount used by astronomers. They are designed to track stars and other celestial objects in the night sky. In general, equatorial mounts perform better than alt-azimuth mounts, and are often considered the best choice for deep sky astrophotography.
The equatorial coordinate system uses the Earth’s axis of rotation as a reference point. Observers on an equatorial mount can follow the movement of stars in two perpendicular axes of motion: one called right ascension (RA) and another called declination.
An RA axis is usually attached to a counterweight on a long shaft that resembles a cross-axis, while the DEC axis is connected to the telescope tube. The RA axis is typically equipped with setting circles that allow the location of objects using their celestial coordinates.
Both RA and DEC axes must be polar aligned with the celestial north pole (usually Polaris) in order to track stars properly. This is important because the Earth’s rotation creates the illusion of a moving sky, and the EQ mount needs to be able to track a star properly in order to capture sharp astro-images.
In the Northern Hemisphere, a simple way to do this is by simply pointing the RA axis north of Polaris and setting your altitude setting on your local latitude. This doesn’t take that much practice to get right, but it can be very important when capturing precise images of star clusters and other deep sky objects.
For a long exposure of any object, a EQ mount will track the target more accurately than an alt-azimuth mount. This is because the EQ mount is oriented toward the stars, while the alt-azimuth mount is oriented toward the Earth’s horizon.
Most equatorial mounts also include a motorized “clock drive” that rotates the RA axis in sync with the apparent diurnal motion of the stars. This helps to make the EQ mount a great option for observing planets, which are primarily located in the sky.
A computerized EQ mount is almost always equipped with a “go-to” function, which allows the operator to set the mount to go to a particular target in the sky. This is a major advantage over manually adjusting the mount’s altitude knobs to track the target.
Dobsonian Mounts
Dobsonian telescopes are among the most affordable and easiest-to-use telescope types, making them an excellent choice for novice astronomers. They’re easy to set up, require no power source or cables, and are compatible with many popular observing software apps. Dobsonians are also very robust, requiring little maintenance.
A Dobsonian telescope is a reflector telescope with a large objective diameter. Its design maximizes the amount of light that enters the optical tube assembly, allowing you to see fainter, deeper details of star clusters and nebulae. Dobsonians are also cheap and portable, which makes them perfect for travel to dark sky locations or at star parties.
These telescopes can be used for visual observations or astrophotography, and they’re a great choice for beginners. They’re quick and easy to use, and you can easily point them at objects with your hand.
The Dobsonian mount is a simple, low-friction design with a rocker box that rotates in both altitude (up and down) and azimuth (left and right). The base and side trunnions on the tube move on low-friction plastic bearings that are smooth and responsive to a “buttery smooth” push.
In addition, they can be made very light thanks to the use of very thin mirrors. They’re also more affordable than equatorial mounts, which require counterweights to counterbalance the weight of the optical tube.
Dobsonians are also incredibly sturdy, which makes them ideal for observing deep-sky objects. They’re especially useful for observing dim star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, as these are difficult to observe at high magnifications with traditional refractors.
This is because the optical tube assembly in Dobsonians has an extremely large aperture, which allows it to collect a lot of light and allow you to view fainter, deeper details of celestial targets. The size of the aperture also helps to reduce the refraction and scattering effects that can occur when the scope is not collimated properly.
Dobsonians are also very robust and withstand heavy load, which makes them suitable for use on a dark sky site or at a star party. They’re not recommended for observing on wet or snowy ground, however, as the base can be susceptible to moisture and break down over time.
Motorized Mounts
Motorized telescopes are a great addition to any observatory. They allow you to smoothly move your telescope on different axes and track the night sky, making it easier to locate astronomical objects. Some models even slew to celestial objects automatically, which makes long exposure astrophotography much easier.
There are several types of motorized telescope mounts, including equatorial, alt-az, and polar. Depending on your telescope’s size and scope, you can choose one of these to fit it perfectly.
Equatorial mounts use mount heads and tripods that allow you to move your telescope on two axes: right ascension (east-west) and declination (north-south). These are popular for observing the Milky Way.
They are also perfect for astrophotography, because you can quickly slew to celestial objects and keep them within your eyepiece. These models also have additional features such as auto-guiding and camera control, which make astrophotography more convenient.
Unlike most other types of telescope mounts, you don’t need any special expertise to operate them. These mounts are controlled by a computer that uses motors and encoders to position the telescope accurately. Some also come with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections for remote operation.
These telescope mounts are also very easy to set up. You can easily attach them to any type of telescope, and they are also very sturdy. You can even use these for a variety of other applications, such as telescope camera tracking.
The most popular type of motorized mount is a two-piece design. This combines a rubber section that absorbs vibration inputs from both directions with a bonded sleeve or a plate to add strength and mounting flexibility.
Another kind of motorized mount is a hydraulic one. These are similar to solid rubber mounts, but they have a fluid chamber that can be tuned to match the damping profile of your engine.
This makes them more effective at absorbing noise and vibration from dynamic forces in your engine, transaxle, and other systems, which can help reduce the overall sound level in your vehicle. However, it is important to remember that they are not a replacement for active mounts.
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Last update on 2023-12-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
