What type of movement characterizes the simple, sturdy, ground-based structure of the Dobsonian mount?
Alt-azimuth (up-down, left-right)
The Dobsonian mount is celebrated for its simplicity and stability, which directly supports large apertures without excessive cost. Its movement mechanics are described as alt-azimuth, meaning the telescope moves in two perpendicular axes: altitude (up and down movement relative to the horizon) and azimuth (left and right movement across the horizon). This design is essentially a sturdy, ground-based rocker box that requires no complex initial alignment or motorized tracking for basic visual observing. This straightforward mechanical arrangement effectively focuses the budget entirely on the optical tube assembly (OTA) while providing excellent stability for its aperture class.

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