Mounts

[Ganymede12]

When I've been looking at adverts for telescopes I have noticed that some don't come with there own mount. Obviously, this means you'd have to buy one separately. But how would you know if a mount is compatable with a particular scope?

[DOBBY]

research... or ask here

[Helen]

Almost all scopes come with one of the two standard size dovetail bars (vixen/skywatcher etc or the larger losmandy type). Mounts also have a standard size dovetail holder. Smaller mounts and scopes generally use the vixen size and larger the losmandy. The EQ6 mount comes with a dovetail holder for each type.

Helen

[rowan46]

unless you are specifically looking for portability in which case a little research is required the general rule is to get the largest mount you can afford. It's fairly difficult to overmount an instrument but undermounting is relatively easy to do

[E621Keith]

As a rough guide, scope and mount cheaper than £1K generally uses Vixen dovetail, while scopes more expensive than £1K may use Losmandy dovetail.

Of course there are some sub 1K mount and scope with L dovetail and some over 1K stuff with V dovetail.

Very cheap scopes do not use quick release and the tube rings are bolted directly to mount. Such as EQ1, 2, Astromaster etc