Bill, it was designed by telescope maker Joseph Fraunhoffer, for the Dorpat refractor, which my memory is telling me was a 9". Only one axis is aimed at the pole, the instrument mounted on it can be aimed anywhere. Objects being tracked by such a mount describe motion parallel to the celestial equator. Why is the English Yoke not called even equatorial? The nomenclature of mounts has no logic. William Biesele <bill@biesele.net> wrote:
Etymology question for the group. Why is this kind of mount called a german equatorial mount? I assume the first word is from the country in which it was invented or popularized. The third word is obvious. But why equatorial instead of polar? It's aimed at the pole not the equator.
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