When people think about purchasing a telescope they primary think about optical systems. A very important aspect to using a telescope is the mount. The mount refers to both the legs and the mechanism that holds and points the telescope. The mount is critical for how you use and enjoy your telescope. In the old days mounts were just mechnical devices, but in these modern computerized times, mounts are becoming more intelligent.
Mounts have computer guidance systems with built-in astronomical databases.
There are many ways to mount and use a telescope, and thus many things to consider when choosing a telescope mount. If all you want to do is look at the stars and planets then any mount that holds up your telescope and allows for easy aiming, steady viewing and comfortable use is a good mount. Dobsonian telescopes are a well known design with a mount configured for easy viewing. An altazimuth mount is a design to hold the OTA and allow the user to guide the scope by using two motions. The up and down motion is call altitude , and the back and forth or round and round motion is call azimuth.