GoTo mount

A GoTo mount is a computerized telescope mount that stores the coordinates of thousands of stars, planets, and deep-sky objects and drives its motors to point at any of them on command, then continues tracking automatically as the sky appears to rotate. After a short alignment routine, typically centering two or three bright reference stars, the mount's internal computer can calculate where everything else in its database sits relative to those points.

This removes much of the star-hopping skill traditionally needed to locate faint objects, which makes GoTo mounts appealing to beginners who want to spend more time observing and less time searching, and to experienced observers hunting many faint targets in one session. The system relies on accurate initial alignment, correct date, time, and location settings, and a level, sturdy setup to point accurately.

The tradeoffs are cost, since the electronics add expense over a comparable manual mount, a dependence on battery power in the field, and a setup routine that takes a few extra minutes before observing can begin. A common mistake is rushing the alignment stars or skipping a level base, which throws off pointing accuracy for the rest of the session even though the mount appears to be working normally.