An equatorial mount is aligned with Earth’s rotational axis and equipped with right ascension (RA) and declination (Dec) axes, allowing for easy tracking of celestial objects using coordinates that compensate for Earth’s rotation. In contrast, an altazimuth mount moves vertically (altitude) and horizontally (azimuth) and is simpler to operate but requires manual adjustments to track celestial objects accurately. Equatorial mounts are preferred for astrophotography and long-duration observations, while altazimuth mounts are popular for casual stargazing and terrestrial viewing.
Come for the Scenery, Stay for the Stars