Telescope Mount Types Explained: Navigate Between Equatorial and Alt-Azimuth Mounts with Ease
In the realm of telescopes, two main mount types dominate: equatorial (EQ) and altitude-azimuth (alt-az) mounts, each offering distinct advantages for different observing purposes.
Altitude-Azimuth Mounts: Accessibility and Portability
Generally worthy of recommendation for beginners, alt-az mounts are perfect for use with refractors, smaller reflecting, and catadioptric telescopes. Manual tripod-mounted varieties, either fork or one-armed fork types, exhibit commendable performance. However, they can be somewhat expensive, with cheap options often featuring cumbersome outboard designs that hinder aiming. Computerized alt-az mounts exist which aid in tracking, but for smaller aperture telescopes, this feature might not be essential.
Affordable tripod-mounted telescopes often struggle with stability due to low-quality tripods and common backlash issues. As a result, telescopes equipped with cheap German equatorial mounts (GEMs) are unsuitable for long-exposure deep sky astrophotography, especially those costing less than $1,000 USD.
Catadioptric telescopes with apertures of 8 inches or larger usually have long focal lengths resulting in high magnification. With such telescopes, some form of tracking and/or computerized mount is advisable. This can take the form of either an alt-az or equatorial design.
Equatorial Mounts: A Perfect Match for Larger Scopes and Astrophotography
For larger refractors and Schmidt-Cassegrains, or deep-sky astrophotography, an equatorial mount becomes a far more viable option. One key advantage is the ability to separate the mount from the telescope tube and dismantle it, which is advantageous for transport. While equatorial mounts can be complex and heavy, they are also steadier and offer the eyepiece a more accessible position.
Despite their advantages, equatorial mounts can prove frustrating for beginners due to their complexity and time-consuming setup process necessitated by polar alignment. As a result, they may not be the optimal choice for visual observations, and alt-az mounts take priority for newcomers.
Intriguingly, there exists a third configuration, the "hybrid" equatorial mount, which essentially combines the benefits of both alt-az and equatorial mounts. Similarities aside, it is not necessarily superior to possessing separate alt-az and equatorial mounts in some instances.
Unquestionably, the choice between an equatorial mount and alt-az mount for telescopes depends on personal requirements, budget, and intended use. Equatorial mounts excel in astrophotography due to their ability to track celestial objects and provide smooth results, while alt-az mounts offer simplicity, portability, and ease of use, making them more suitable for visual observations.
- Alt-az mounts, with their affordable and portable designs, are often recommended for beginner astronomers using refractors, smaller reflecting, or catadioptric telescopes.
- Catadioptric telescopes with larger apertures usually have high magnification, making tracking and computerized mounts, such as alt-az or equatorial, advisable.
- For larger refractors, Schmidt-Cassegrains, or deep-sky astrophotography, equatorial mounts are more suitable due to their ability to separate the mount from the telescope tube, making transport easier.
- Equatorial mounts can be complex and heavy, but they offer steadiness and a more accessible position for the eyepiece, making them ideal for astrophotography.
- Hybrid equatorial mounts, a combination of alt-az and equatorial mounts, offer benefits from both, but may not always be superior to having separate alt-az and equatorial mounts, depending on the user's specific needs and circumstances.
