Glossary | Telescope accessories | Capacity | RA worm wheel diameter
The worm wheel is an essential part of a mount’s worm gear.
Worm wheel and worm shaft. Picture source: Wikipedia
The worm wheel should be large enough to ensure that the mount runs smoothly.
Depending on the optical design, the lever effect of the telescope on the axes can be very different. Shorter-built Schmidt-Cassegrain or Maksutov telescopes put less strain on the gear mechanism, which is why they may be heavier than Newtonian telescopes or refractors with a long focal length.