Altazimuth

Altazimuth Mountings: The simplest type of telescope mount allows the telescope to be moved up-and-down (in vertical, or altitude) and left-to-right (in horizontal, or azimuth). The altitude-azimuth (altazimuth) mounting thus permits the observer to follow objects by simple motions of the telescope in vertical and horizontal. Slow-motion controls, can facilitate these motions. The altazimuth mount, owing to its simplicity and relatively lower cost, is widely used with telescopes in both land-viewing and astronomical applications. Example: Meade NG-60. The third type of telescope mount is known as the Dobsonian mount. This is actually a version of the altazimuth mount typically used on camera tripods. It was developed by John Dobson in the 1970s and was designed as a low-cost, easy-to-use mount for large Newtonian telescopes. Dobsonian mounts are generally constructed of wood and sit low to the ground. They are easy to build, which makes them a favorite of the do-it-yourself telescope maker. These mounts are ideal for large telescopes because they are strong and sturdy. They can also be easily moved and adjusted from the eyepiece end (front) of a large Newtonian reflector. The disadvantage of this mount is that it is not possible to track objects as can be done with the equatorial and fork mounts. This makes them unsatisfactory for astrophotography. Dobsonian mounts are typically used by those who observe galaxies and other deep-sky objects with their large Newtonian telescopes.