Equatorial mounts are a little mind-bending to get used to, they align with the rotational axis of the earth and allow for easy tracking of stars, galaxies, nebulas, etc. A good goto equatorial mount and tripod are necessary for long-exposure astrophotography, and using a manual equatorial or eq mount can be a very satisfying for visual astronomers as well. EQ mounts are available in manual or goto computerized configurations from small to large.
