Abstract: A mount for a telescope incorporates a worm gear assembly comprising: a worm wheel connected to a telescope holder, such that movement of the worm wheel about a wheel axis causes movement of the holder about the wheel axis; and a worm shaft having a worm body extending in a longitudinal direction and a thread extending in a spiral on the worm body around a worm axis orthogonal to the wheel axis. The worm shaft is supported by a base for rotational movement. The worm wheel comprises a plurality teeth for engaging the worm shaft thread, so that rotation of the worm shaft about the worm axis causes corresponding rotation of the worm wheel, and corresponding relative rotation between the holder and the base, about the wheel axis. The wheel body defines a plurality of elasticity-enhancing cutouts spaced apart from the wheel axis and extending through the wheel body.

Abstract: An equatorial mount for providing a telescope with a balanced weight distribution is described. The equatorial mount includes a base, a declination base, and a device support. The declination base is rotatable about a right ascension axis relative to the base. The device support is rotatable about a declination axis relative to the declination base. The declination axis intersects orthogonally with the right ascension axis and the declination axis intersects a midsection of the declination base. The declination base includes a counterweight assembly extending along a counterweight axis, the counterweight axis being spaced away from the declination axis along the right ascension axis.

Abstract: An equatorial mount having a base, a right ascension base, a right ascension shaft, a declination base, a declination shaft, and a mount-rotation mechanism, the declination base rotatable about a right ascension axis relative to the right ascension base, and the declination shaft rotatable about a declination axis relative to the declination axis, wherein the mount-rotation mechanism is engageable and disenagageable from one or the other of the right ascension shaft and the declination shaft, to apply torque between the declination base and that shaft when engaged and to permit relative rotation of the shaft and the declination base when disengaged.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for time-lapse astrophotography. One embodiment of the invention comprises a method for capturing a time-lapse image sequence. The method comprises capturing a first plurality of photographs, wherein capturing each photograph of the first plurality of photographs comprises opening a shutter of an image-capture device; while the shutter of the image-capture device is open, moving the image-capture device to reduce the movement of a celestial object or coordinate within the field of view of the image-capture device; closing the shutter of the image-capture device; and moving the image-capture device to a subsequent orientation.