A goto mount holds a database of objects and drives to any of them on request. For an observer who cannot find things it is transformative; for one who can, it is a convenience bought with aperture, and both of those statements are true at the same time.
What it actually does
You align it on two or three bright stars, after which it knows its orientation and can point at anything in its catalogue. Then it tracks, which matters at high magnification where an undriven mount lets a planet cross the field in under a minute. The alignment takes a few minutes and is redone each session unless the mount stays set up.
What it costs in aperture
Motors, encoders, a hand controller and the engineering to hold them steady are most of the price of a computerised telescope. At a given budget a goto instrument typically has half the aperture of a dobsonian, which means it will find faint objects it cannot then show you well. That trade is the main argument in beginner telescope advice.
Where it earns its money
City observing, where there are too few visible stars to star hop by. Public sessions, where an object has to be found on demand. Planetary observing at high magnification, where tracking is worth as much as finding. And imaging, where tracking is not optional at all and finding is the least of the problems.
Push-to as the middle path
A push-to system uses encoders or a phone camera to tell you where the telescope is pointing and which way to push it, without motors. It costs a fraction of a goto mount, finds objects almost as effectively, and keeps the money in the mirror. Several manufacturers now build this into otherwise ordinary dobsonians.
Questions people ask about goto mount
Is a goto telescope worth it?
If finding objects is your obstacle, or you observe from a city, or you image, yes. If your obstacle is seeing faint things, the same money spent on aperture serves you better.
What is a goto mount?
A motorised mount with an object database that drives to a requested target and then tracks it across the sky automatically.
Do goto telescopes need alignment?
Yes, on two or three known stars at the start of each session, unless the mount stays set up and powered between sessions.