Who Invented Equatorial Mount?

The mount was developed by Joseph von Fraunhofer for the Great Dorpat Refractor that was finished in 1824. The telescope is placed on one end of the declination axis (top left in image), and a suitable counterweight on other end of it (bottom right).

Why is it called a German equatorial mount?

An equatorial telescope mount (often called a German equatorial mount, or “GEM”) that has been accurately polar aligned with the polar axis of the Earth can follow a particular object in the night sky for an extended period of time.

Why is there an equatorial mount?

Equatorial mounts have the ability to track celestial objects all night long with a high degree of accuracy and are primarily used for astrophotography. ... Because of this motion, a telescope mount must move at the opposite rate that the Earth spins to keep objects in the sky centered in view through a telescope.