Methods for positioning a telescope have progressed throughout the years. The first telescopes did not have any means of finding a position in the sky other than visually observing the orientation of the instrument.
Many computerized telescopes sold today still include mechanical setting circles.
With the addition of a database, these computers are able to guide the user to objects without the necessity of knowing or entering the coordinates. Manufacturers and amateur astronomers are increasingly moving toward the automation provided by Go To computers. Once the data is selected, the telescope moves into position without user intervention. The SkySensor 2000-PC is a popular astronomical Tracking and Go To computer manufactured by Vixen Optical Industries Ltd. of Japan. It can be used as a stand-alone system with the internal database or in conjunction with a PC using astronomy software.