Product Review

The Twilight I is a light-to-medium-duty alt-azimuth mount and tripod designed to quickly and easily accept small to medium sized refractors, such as the ES AR102 or Carbon Fiber 102mm, and of course, the 80mm. Light weight, fast Newtonians will also match up nicely with the Explore Twilight I mount. As long as your telescope does not exceed 18 pounds, you are good to go. The Twilight I alt-azimuth mount head is made of powder-coated aluminum and there are worm gears on both axes. The adjustable angle head can be tilted forward or back at a 45° angle, or you can point it straight up for viewing at the zenith. Slow motion control cables are attached on the vertical and horizontal axes, and are easy to turn during the night, even with gloves on, due to the over-sized knurled knobs that are attached to the end of each cable. A small wrench is included with this package, and is stored in the fork arm and held in place with a magnet. If you need to make quick adjustments to your mount, it is a snap to access the wrench and then store it safely away when done. It is a small thing, but an adjustment wrench is one less tool you will need to remember to bring with you on observing sessions! The chrome-plated steel tripod that comes standard with the Twilight I mount has adjustable legs and a wide foot print of 42 inches, which makes the tripod more stable. A spreader bar locks against the inside of the legs to secure the tripod even further, and keep vibrations to a minimum.