A telescope mounting with one axis (the polar axis) parallel to the Earth’s axis and the other (the declination axis) at right angles to it. The telescope is attached to the declination axis. The Earth’s rotation is counteracted simply by rotating the mount around the polar axis. From the mid-nineteenth century until recently almost all large telescopes were on equatorial mountings. Some very large instruments now have computer-controlled altazimuth mountings. Designs of equatorial mounting include the English, fork, German, horseshoe, and Springfield mountings.