For astrophotography, the mount is just as important, if not more important, than the telescope. The mount needs to provide a stable platform for the telescope that accurately tracks the stars as they move across the sky. A stable mount also helps in focusing the camera. It's hard to focus if the star is moving all over the place when you touch the focus knob because the mount is not rigid. You can have the finest telescope in the world, but if it is on a bad mount, it will be difficult to take good pictures with it. Do not underestimate the importance of a good mount for astrophotography.
A fork-mounted telescope on a wedge is generally not that stable of a configuration. Add a large scope with a long focal length, as most Schmidt-Cassegrains are, and tracking and stability become problematic for astrophotography. A good German equatorial mount is the best kind of telescope mount for a beginner in astrophotography. Unfortunately, there are lots of inexpensive german equatorial mounts that are not good at all for long-exposure astrophotography with a telescope. These bad mounts may be good enough for some wide-angle piggyback work, but they will be difficult and frustrating to use with the longer focal lengths found in telescopes. The Skywatcher EQ5, Celestron CG-5 and Meade LXD75 are about the same class of mount. They offer Go To computerized control. They can be used with wide-angle piggyback lenses, and telescopes up to about 400mm with moderate success unguided.
The EQ-G / HEQ-5 Pro has a payload capacity of 30 lbs, although about one-half of the maximum recommended payload is usually a good idea for astrophotography with this mount. The Orion Sirius is the mount that I used to take many of the images in this book. The Losmandy GM-8 is also a good mount with a 30 lb capacity that is made in the United States and comes in a dual-axis model and Go To version. The Losmandy mounts will handle closer to their recommended capacities for astrophotography. The Orion Atlas EQ-G Go To and Synta Skywatcher EQ-6 Pro are also the same mount. It has a 40 lb capacity, but less payload weight is recommended for astrophotography. Recommended Mounts
For 90mm to 130mm refractors, check out the Orion Atlas / Synta Skywatcher EQ-6 Pro mount and iOptron iEQ45 GM. These mounts come with a sturdy tripod and pretty much everything you need to get started in astrophotography including a polar alignment scope. All you need in addition is a telescope, camera, T-mount adapter and 12-volt battery to power the mount. As with most other astronomical equipment, it is possible to find these mounts used at discounted prices on AstroMart and Cloudy Nights. If you want to step up in quality and rigidity, check out the Losmandy GM8 and Losmandy G-11. If you can't afford a good mount, you are better off making a barn-door tracker and saving your money so that one day you can get a decent mount. Barn-door trackers are discussed in the next section.
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