A telescope mount designed for astronomical use. It aligns the axis of
rotation of a telescope with the axis of the Earth, allowing the scope
to follow the seemingly curved paths taken by the stars and planets.
When equipped with a motor drive, it automatically tracks celestial
objects without the need for constant manual corrections, as is the case
with an altazimuth or Dobsonian mount. This is particularly important
at high magnification, where objects drift across the field of an
unmoving scope in a minute or less. Usually supplied with setting
circles that help locate objects by their right ascension and
declination coordinates. Convenient for visual observing and essential
for astrophotography. Two types are commonly available with
commercially-made amateur telescopes -- the German equatorial and the
fork mount.