Best Telescope Mounts for Astrophotography Buyer's Guide

See yourself venturing into Astrophotography as a hobby? Good choice! To maximise the quality of your work Telescope mounts are essential. We've put together a comprehensive buyer's guide reviewing our top mounts available on the market.

Looking for the best Telescope Mounts on the market? We've done the research to help you find the perfect Telescope Mounts for Astrophotography to suit your needs.

Astrophotography involves capturing the truly mesmerizing realities of the mystical objects floating freely in the endless void beyond the limits of our skies. To execute such an intricate job, one requires an extensive list of apparatuses. 

One very crucial aspect for a noteworthy picture requires the stability of the device, capturing the truth of our universe. Most people deploy telescopes to fulfill their pleasures of astrophotography, but such an advanced device itself requires accessories for its stability and steadiness. 

A mount or tripod stand is a device that can stabilize a delicately intricate device such as a telescope. A telescope cannot view anything from the deep space until it is pointed in the right direction without continuous divergence. 

For all of these reasons, the mount is an accessory that is deemed necessary, especially for astrophotography. Here we have an extensive list of the best telescope mounts for astrophotography available in the industry that can fulfill all your needs within your price range!

Our Overall #1 Rated Pick

If you're looking for the best Telescope Mounts that is affordable, easy to use for beginners, and has a great build quality, our top pick is the Sky-Watcher EQM-35.

It has perfect DEC, and RA clutches.

It is lightweight

Accurate

Comes with various accessories

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    Best Telescope Mounts Based on User Reviews

    Let's take a look at the top products on the market, based on the average rating by real customers just like you.

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    Best Telescope Mounts for Astrophotography: A Complete Review

    If you've made it this far into the reviews then you must be serious about your buying choice.

    Now that we've covered the quick list of products, let's break down each of them to see why they have been chosen.

    In this section we'll cover the pro's and con's of each and give you some ideas of who each product is most suitable for.

    Sky-Watcher has an unusual and unique feature that it comes with remote control. This mount has a very compact design and is portable. You can simply take it wherever you want because it is very portable. It is made up of metal and is durable. 

    It can bear a weight of 22 pounds. So if your optical device is bulky, all you need is to buy the Sky-Watcher EQM-35. This mount is computerized and contains a database of more than 42000 celestial objects. 

    So now locate desired space objects with great precision. This mount is perfect for both beginners and experts with their efficient optical devices. It has a lightweight and is also ideal for astrophotographers, and they can picture celestial objects with efficiency with the help of this mount. 

    It has improved technology, and its remote control makes its functioning a lot easier. The hand controller can be connected to the computer with the help of USB data cable. The package also includes a polar finder scope.

    Pros

    Comes with a polar finder scope

    Remote Controlled

    Precise

    Smooth operation

    Compact

    Portable

    Cons

    It is expensive

    Orion 10010 Atlas AZ/EQ-G Computerized GoTo telescope mount is three in one mount. This telescope mount can operate in GoTo Equatorial mode, holding one telescope as well as in Altazimuth mode, which can hold one or two telescopes. 

    It has a durable and unique design. This mount can carry 44 pounds telescope payload. You can use the telescope for learning purposes. It can view celestial objects very clearly and is perfect for your observation. It has a stepper motor drive system with ideal accuracy. 

    You can locate any celestial object you want among 42000 astronomical curiosities. It has a pointing accuracy of 5 arc/minute. Not only this, but this telescope mount also has a tracking precision of 0. It has an accurate setting of latitude. 

    This mount has an accuracy of 0.1436 arc/sec. The mount has dual width dovetail saddles for convenient use. The counterweight shaft has a diameter of 1 inch. It comes with threaded input jack and DC cable. This telescope mount also has a north/south hemisphere scope.

    Pros

    It has perfect DEC, and RA clutches.

    It is lightweight

    Accurate

    Comes with various accessories

    Cons

    The concentric circles in polar scope are tiny.

    This telescope mount is expensive.

    Celestron CGX Computerized German Equatorial Mount and Tripod has a fantastic design with a payload of 55 lbs. It is a motorized EQ mount. This telescope mount has high torque Servo motors with a belt drive. 

    The use and setting of the mount are very easy and simple. The mount has a NexStar and Computer Hand controller. Its computer-based operation contains the database of nearly 40000 celestial objects. 

    So now, it is very easy to locate and observe your desired celestial objects. To make observation easy for you, Celestron CGX Computerized German Equatorial Mount and Tripod comes with custom object filters plus guided tours. 

    It has a perfect finder scope and compatibility with the attached imaging device. The mount is a little heavy and bulky. You can adjust the legs of the mount to see the scope parallel to your eyes. The mount is easy to adjust and is not shaky, which means you will feel zero disturbance while observing.

    Pros

    Computerized

    Durable

    Easy to adjust

    Comes with a NexStar controller

    Cons

    The mount is a bit expensive

    It is bulky.

    Orion AstroView EQ Mount & EQ-3M Motor Drive Kit comes with the combination of mount and telescope motor drive. Its setting is very easy and has a very steady movement. It can work for any telescope smoothly, having weight up to 12 lbs. 

    This mount is compatible with your telescope and is easy to use. You can set this mount according to your height by adjusting its legs. It has an EQ-3M mini motor attached, which helps to locate and track the celestial objects. 

    It has a wide dovetail plate with it, which is 8 inches long. This mount is ready to use and don't need expertise for the attachment of your telescope. This mount weighs 28.8 lbs. This mount also works perfectly for the beginners and provides reasonable observation assistance. 

    So now enjoy your celestial objects with your favorite telescope and Orion AstroView EQ Mount & EQ-3M Motor Drive Kit.

    Pros

    Stable mount

    Lightweight

    Easy to use

    Durable

    EQ-3M motor

    Cons

    It does not support much larger telescopes.

    Orion 9055 Min-EQ tabletop equatorial telescope mount is a small mount that is very portable. This telescope is small but sturdy and is efficient in its services. This mount can easily support small telescopes of traveling size.

     It can bear a telescope up to 7 lbs. It is an EQ-1equatorial mount with a perfect tripod stand. It also works efficiently for a 35mm DSLR camera or SLR camera. So now enjoy beautiful and perfect portraits with this mount. 

    The mount weighs 4.8 lbs. This mount has easy and stable altitude adjustments. To support manual tracking, this mount also has a slow-motion tracking cable.

    Its installment is very easy and does not need much expertise. It can also be attached to the celestial tripod, or it can be used as a simple table mount. The mount is not that expensive and is perfect for travel purposes.

    Pros

    Portable

    Lightweight

    Stable

    Perfect for beginners

    Cons

    Its RA circle is a bit stiff.

    Celestron Advanced VX Computerized Mount has a unique and computerized design with an amazing computer database. Its integer gear ratio and programmable periodic error correction make it unique than other telescopes mount. 

    You can view different celestial objects and can picture them with this amazing telescope mount without any disturbance. This telescope mount has a wide latitude range. This latitude range makes the telescope mount better than others. 

    Now you can avoid and correct the track errors with the improved technology of this telescope mount. Its latitude range is 7-77 degrees. 

    It also has a NexStar hand controlling feature and increased memory for future expansion. Programming is available in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish. So Celestron Advanced VX is an updated model of the mount with computerized technology. It is perfect to view, observe, and picture celestial objects.

    Pros

    Computerized

    Easy to set up

    Improved tracking motors

    It also has programmable periodic error correction.

    Cons

    This telescope mount is expensive.

    Orion 9995 Sirius EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount comes with a tripod stand. Both mount and tripod stand can bear weight up to 30 lbs. Now, if you are concerned with some serious observation of celestial objects, then this is all you need. 

    Because this computerized mount contains a database of 42900 celestial objects, it has a very simple set up and is ready for use. Even beginners can set this up perfectly. The tripod has a firm setting and does not disturb you during your observation. 

    The tripod stand has legs made up of stainless steel. It has a 1.75" diameter and cast metal plate as a spreader. The mount also has polar axis scope, which makes polar alignment a lot easier. It consists of an 8.3 inches dovetail mounting bar with adjusting screws. 

    For a power supply, this telescope mount comes with a 12V DC power cable. All it needs is a 12V power supply for its efficient working. Its electronic features and computerized design have made it efficient throughout. The internal motor can slew the telescope up to 3.5 degrees per second.

    Pros

    Computerized

    Durable

    Stable

    Lightweight

    Comes with various accessories

    Polar axis scope

    Cons

    It may not be good for heavyweight telescopes.

    Orion 9829 SkyView Pro Equatorial Telescope Mount provides your telescope a perfect and stable base. This mount can support the telescope weighing up to 20 lbs. It has the finest motion control because of its steady knobs of Declination and Right Ascension axes. 

    It supports manual control over motion and efficient tracking of space objects. It contains two counterweights, i.e., 4 lbs and 7.5 lbs. It weighs 35 lbs overall. It also helps you to locate moving celestial objects, and you can observe their motion very clearly. 

    It has a detailed setup and is perfect for experts. This mount is very lightweight and is portable. This mount also has a good latitude setting. The mount stays at the place and does not cause much disturbance while observing. 

    So now observe and study amazing astronomical objects with Orion 9829 SkyView Pro Equatorial Telescope Mount.

    Pros

    Affordable

    Portable

    Stable

    Sturdy

    Good latitude setting

    Manual control

    Efficient tracking

    Cons

    The system does not have a quick setup.

    Orion Sirius Pro AZ/EQ-G Computerized GoTo Telescope Mount is a hybrid mount and can hold two telescopes at a time. It can support a telescope weighing up to 30 pounds. It is heavy but provides a stable foundation and base for your telescope.

    The motor drive of the mount works very quietly with zero noise level. This computerized mount has a database of 42000 celestial objects. In this way, it will help you to locate different space objects with precision. 

    Its dual optical encoders are easy to move without disturbing the alignment. You can take it with you while traveling. Its tripod stand can be folded, and the mount has a very compact design. You can view celestial objects and can picture them too, with the help of this amazing mount. 

    The narrow dovetail makes the connection of the telescope easy and stage. This telescope mount has a wide latitude range, i.e., from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. So now support your two telescopes with one telescope mount and enjoy your study and observations at any point in this whole earth.

    Pros

    This mount can carry two telescopes at a time.

    Its tripod can be folded, making the mount portable.

    Stable foundation

    Narrow dovetail

    Noise-free operation

    Cons

    It is expensive.

    Celestron CG-4 German Equatorial Mount comes with a tripod stand. Both tripod and mount support your telescope well. Its RA and DEC have steady and smooth control. There is an accessory tray between the legs of the tripod stand. 

    Its setting circles has an easy setting and is very user friendly. Slow-motion control helps you to locate the object with great precision. Tripod stand has an adjustable height of 1.75". It has two counterweights of 7lbs and 4 lbs. 

    The total height of the mount along with the telescope ranges from 42" to 55". It can bear a load of the telescope as heavy as 15 lbs. Its optical dual-axis motor is very efficient and is perfect to view and study space objects. 

    Its package does not include a Dovetail mounting bar. The mount has an easy setting and is stable for use. The tripod stand is also stable and is not too shaky.

    Pros

    Lightweight

    Stable

    Sturdy

    Steady and smooth control

    Cons

    The mount does not come with a dovetail mounting bar.

    Telescope Mounts Buyer's Guide

    We have frequently mentioned accessories that are vital for the functionality of a telescope. Often, we mentioned tripod stands and mounts that help stabilize the device for a perfect evening of stargazing. 

    Now the question is not limited to star gazing and looking into the rings of Saturn. Astrophotography involves such a level of steadiness that an asteroid traveling at the speed of light can be captured by the telescopic lens within the fraction of a millisecond.

    A mount, tripod stand, and base support are just some of the essentials that help in creating a steady base for the telescope to be able to capture the beautiful and intricate patterns of our galaxy. 

    There are many variations in telescopes, and just as same, there are multiple variants of mounts as well. We have derived a list of desired, and necessary features of a telescopic mount to perfectly cater to the needs of an astrophotographer or a professional astronomer.

    Weight Range

    As everyone understands the basic build-up of a telescope, the device is often heavier than expected due to additional lenses, mirrors and its basic construction material. A mount can support a limited amount of weight before it collapses under the pressure. 

    Before purchasing any mount to align with your telescope perfectly and work well for your astrophotography, be sure to match the weight; it can support the weight of your telescope along with the extra eyepieces.

    Most manufacturers brag about their mounts being able to hold more than one telescope at a time; if you chose such mounts, be sure to add the collective weight of your telescope before breaking out your wallet. Most telescopic mounts of medium-range only support the weight range of 30-40 lbs. 

    Holding capacity 

    Astrophotography is often performed with the help of portable telescopes, and such telescopes, being cheaper than professional telescopes, can be bought twice depending upon the level of accuracy required by the astronomer. 

    Everyone understands the inverse relationship between the magnification power and field of view of a telescope, to get both these qualities professionals to end up purchasing two telescopes, one with higher magnification power and one with a wider field of view. 

    For such consumers, manufacturers have come up with mounts that can simultaneously hold two or more telescopes to increase their customer's comfortability by saving them the hassle of setting and managing two different equipment.

     One catch that often limits the use of mounts with multiple holding capacities is their weight-bearing limits, be sure to match the adjoined weight of your telescopes to the weight that the mount can handle without succumbing to the pressure and breaking down.

    Pointing accuracy and tracking precision 

    There are two types of telescopic mounts, alt-az mounts, and equatorial mounts, and both use different methods of tracking and pointing. The alt-az mount, or alternatively known as the altitude-azimuth mount, uses its namesake system. 

    The main difference between these two types of mounts is the range and direction of motion they allow for the movement of the telescope. The altitude azimuth mount allows the movement of a telescope in the east to west direction, aka left to right and slightly upward, and downward motion is also allowed with this type of mount. 

    Whereas an equatorial mount allows a greater range of movement in the north to south direction, upward and downwards, which allows a person to track a moving celestial object parallel to the earth's axis. The equatorial mount allows only a restricted range of movement in left to the right direction.

    The ability of a mount to move in a particular direction greatly influences its pointing accuracy, and tracking precision as a telescope can only follow a celestial object as allowed by the range of movement of its corresponding mount.

    Motorized System

    There are different ranges of movements allowed by various kinds of mounts that provide support and stability to a telescope. But as a telescope is a heavy device and an additional weight of the mount added, it is not an easy task to reposition it every once in a while to find your sweet spot of celestial heaven. 

    Secondly, if you are tracking a particular celestial object that will move across the axis, the system often requires repositioning because of the limited field of view of a telescope. Some mounts come with a belt system that makes the movement of the entire system easier.

    Others, more advanced, are equipped with motors that can precisely move the entire equipment in the right direction on the push of a button. The motorized mounts do make the entire process significantly easier. Still, they are also significantly more expensive than the manual mounts, so the choice of choosing between your money and your comfort is entirely in your own hands.

    Adjustable Length 

    Telescope mounts have a designated range of movement in all four directions based on their type, but the tripod stand that provides essential support needs to have a separate range of adjustability.

    Looking for a particular cluster of stars or a milky way requires a lot of patience, and only those become successful who do not abandon their search and keep looking. This requires a strenuous number of hours looking through an eyepiece waiting for a miracle to happen. 

    In these circumstances, comfort is one of the most crucial aspects as no one can guarantee when their back will give out while lounging and looking for stars. An adjustable tripod stand provides the freedom of altering the length of the system according to your requirements. 

    Counterweights 

    Holding any heavy device in place for ours while providing an extensive range of free movement is not an easy task, especially while an accessory guarantees optimum protection for a fragile device such as a telescope. 

    To manage the weight of the telescope while standing on three fragile legs, and to provide a free range of movement, the tripod stands are equipped with counterweights hanging just beneath the telescope to balance its weight and essentially nullifying its effect on the tripod stand. 

    The counterweights are a perfect deploy the perfect use of physics in weight management and are essential for optimum functionality and increasing practicability of a tripod stand or mount. It is significant enough to mention that you must not try to remove the counterweight, or it will blow off the balance of the entire system, which may result in damage to your device.

    Controller

    As most systems involving digital machines have been upgraded to be controlled from a distance with the help of digital control, the telescopes and their corresponding accessories have not stayed behind the race. 

    For increasing the comfortability of their customers, most companies add this system to their digital tripod stands and mounts so that their motion can be controlled with the help of a remote. Often people who purchase digitally controllable mounts have digital screens to track the process of the movement of their required celestial objects. 

    It is noteworthy to mention that while these digitally controlled mounts do increase the level of comfort, they are significantly more expensive than other motorized or manual mounts.

    Constructive Material 

    The construction material of the mount holds great importance as it is essentially the element that will have to bear the weight of the telescope along with its accessories. Almost all of the mounts from famous brands are made with aluminum, but any metal will do just fine in holding the weight of a general telescope. 

    But there are scams on the internet that sell mounts made of plastic and other materials. Sometimes they work, often they are too fragile to survive the wear and tear of traveling on top of the weight and constant movement required in astrophotography. 

    It is recommended that you purchase only those mounts that have bases of metals such as aluminum.

    Cost 

    As telescopes come in a wide range of prices, so do their corresponding accessories. The mounts, tripod stands, base supports all have a differing range of prices based on their practicability, ease of use, and sturdiness. 

    As the technological race advances with the addition of motorized functions and digital controls, so does the price range. The mounts with simpler undertones that require a bit of mechanical work are not very expensive as their range falls in under 1000 dollars. 

    Whereas the tripod stands equipped with digital controls and advanced technology often cross the 1000-dollar barrier and their range only expands in the upward direction.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Conclusion

    Astrophotography is one of the finest fields combining the two truly greatest passions of humankind, astronomy, and photography. The field of astronomy revolves around the study of extra celestial objects that include thousands of years old stars and intricately designed milky ways and perfectly calibrated galaxies. 

    There is essentially no boundary of the universe, and thus, its study is limitless as well. Photography involves capturing the truly beautiful, scarce, and candid moments of the world, revealing the naked truth about absolutely everything that can be caught in a camera's eye. 

    As astrophotography continues to amaze everyone by presenting the truth of the universe before their eyes in perfectly candid photographs, we are sure accessories such as best telescope mounts for astrophotography will soon be valued for what they bring to the table with their services.

    Happy Stargazing, People!