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Twilight I Adjustable Angle Alt-Azimuth Telescope Mount

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 69 ratings
Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
  • Weight Capacity up to 18 Pounds
  • Height range from 36" to 53"
  • Spreader Plate with Eyepiece Holders
  • Slow Motion Control Cables Included
  • Head adjustable to be 45° from the vertical

Product Description

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 AR102 or ED102mm, and of course, the ED80mm. Lightweight, fast Newtonians will also match up nicely with the Explore Scientific Twilight I mount. As long as your telescope does not exceed 18 pounds and has a Vixen-Style Universal Dovetail bar for mounting the telescope to the mount head, 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 to allow more clearance for your telescope so 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. They can be attached to either side of each axis to accommodate right or left-handed users, or different types of telescopes (e.g. refractors vs. Newtonian reflectors) for ease of adjustment.

The stainless 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.

Item Number: MAZ01–00

Tripod fully collapsed no mount head: 29.5"

Tripod fully collapsed with head: 42"

Tripod open, retracted legs no mount head: 25"

Tripod open, retracted legs with the mount head: 38.5" at highest point, 36" to the center of the mounting bracket

Tripod open, legs fully extended no mount head: 42"

Tripod open, legs fully extended with the mount head: 55.5" at highest point, 53" to the center of the mounting bracket

Mount head dimensions: 14" x 7" x 4"

Foot print: 42"

Weight tripod base: 11lb; 5.0kg

Weight mount head: 6.6lb; 3.0kg

Total weight: 16.7lb; 7.6kg

Explore Scientific Refractor Telescope

About Us

Based out of Springdale, Arkansas, Explore Scientific is an optics company that has been on a mission for the last decade to provide enthusiasts of all skill levels the tools and guidance they need to explore the skies above and the world around. The company is involved in designing, manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing high-quality observation instruments and accessories such as telescopes, eyepieces, microscopes and binoculars.

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Twilight I Adjustable Angle Alt-Azimuth Telescope Mount

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
69 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the sturdiness, ease of use, controls, and light of the camera other accessories. For example, they mention it's well built, easy to set up and operate, and has smooth slow motion controls. They appreciate the quality, adjustability, and value. That said, some complain about missing parts.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

17 customers mention17 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the sturdiness of the mount. They mention that it's well-built, sturdy, and stable. They appreciate the great materials and the basic engineering and quality look good. They also appreciate the clutch system, so you can release the pressure on alt or az and move it.

"Mount comes fully assembled except for a few knobs. Very sturdy especially when used with dampeners and a weight hanging from middle...." Read more

"...The fit and finish are good. The mount seems stable with the legs (tubular) fully extended and the spreader in place...." Read more

"...This mount is all about quality and simplicity. It’s solid and easy to use...." Read more

"The materials this mount is made from seem excellent, it's easy to use and will work just fine if you're not expecting too much...." Read more

10 customers mention10 positive0 negative

Customers find the mount easy to set up and operate. They say it comes with assembly instructions but there was almost nothing to assemble. The mount head goes on easily and it almost doesn't need a manual. It's a great grab and go mount or easily portable everyday mount.

"Mount comes fully assembled except for a few knobs. Very sturdy especially when used with dampeners and a weight hanging from middle...." Read more

"...Although it comes with assembly instructions, there was almost nothing to assemble - put on the slo-mo controls and the spreader/tray and that was it..." Read more

"...This mount is all about quality and simplicity. It’s solid and easy to use...." Read more

"The materials this mount is made from seem excellent, it's easy to use and will work just fine if you're not expecting too much...." Read more

7 customers mention7 positive0 negative

Customers like the controls of the camera. They mention that the slow motion controls are smooth, the alt-az slewing movements are smooth and precise, and the camera works well. They also say that the gears are smooth with no wobble or weird behavior.

"...Slow motion controls are a joy, especially at higher magnifications, very easy to keep the object in view...." Read more

"...The alt-az slewing movements are smooth as are slo-mo. The weight of the mount is noticeably less than my old C-8 tripod with EQ wedge...." Read more

"...Worth every penny for what it is and what it does. Very smooth movement (wish I was this smooth, lol) and the slo-mo controls are a joy to use...." Read more

"...Once properly installed, no wobble or weird behavior, its quite solid.Slow controls work well, tension is adjustable...." Read more

6 customers mention6 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the light of the camera other accessories. They mention that it is sturdy yet the mount is light enough to carry in one hand.

"...The weight of the mount is noticeably less than my old C-8 tripod with EQ wedge...." Read more

"...Seriously though, this is a great alt-az mount that is a reasonable weight to move in and out of the house without too much hassle...." Read more

"...The legs and spreader tray are very sturdy, yet the mount is light enough to carry in one hand." Read more

"Very very nice mount. Nice and light, but sturdy. Holds my 6" short tube newtonian without an issue!..." Read more

6 customers mention6 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the quality of the mount. They mention that it works well, is excellent, and is a great tripod for small to medium refractors.

"This is a great tripod for my 120 mm refractor. This mount is all about quality and simplicity. It’s solid and easy to use...." Read more

"...this mount is made from seem excellent, it's easy to use and will work just fine if you're not expecting too much...." Read more

"...Seriously though, this is a great alt-az mount that is a reasonable weight to move in and out of the house without too much hassle...." Read more

"...The slow motion cables seem a little cheap, but they work quite well. My mount was delivered with all its parts and went together easily...." Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers are satisfied with the adjustability of the mount. They mention that it can be adjusted so that the Az slo-mo knob is on either side of the telescope, and various adjustments to fit different telescopes are an added bonus. The mount is sturdy and the head can be adjustable for terrestrial or sky viewing. The fit and finish are good, and the mount seems stable with the legs. It is a great manual mount for small telescopes.

"...Various adjustments to fit different telescopes are an added bonus...." Read more

"...That a was pleasant surprise.The fit and finish are good...." Read more

"...The head can be adjusted for terrestrial or sky viewing. It can also be adjusted so that the Az slo-mo knob is on either side of the head at..." Read more

"This mount and tripod is very sturdy and the mount can be adjusted so the telescope can be aimed straight up...." Read more

5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the value of the mount. They say it's a decent value for the price.

"...This mount looks like a decent value for the price and the basic engineering and quality look good...." Read more

"...Worth every penny for what it is and what it does. Very smooth movement (wish I was this smooth, lol) and the slo-mo controls are a joy to use...." Read more

"...explore scientific for making a quality product, selling it at a reasonable price and offering lifetime support as well...." Read more

"Fantastic tripod for the money..." Read more

5 customers mention0 positive5 negative

Customers are dissatisfied with the missing parts in the camera other accessories. They mention that the instructions are confusing and the mount is missing the camera adaptor.

"...star is that the first unit I received (in a sealed box) had numerous missing parts and had to be returned for a replacement." Read more

"...There I discovered the following pieces missing:1. tension plate(connects the legs and holds the eyepieces)2...." Read more

"I like the mount but it was missing the camera adaptor, otherwise five stars." Read more

"Missing parts, therefore confusing instructions. Youtube to the rescue. I could source the parts locally." Read more

Great manual mount for small telescopes!
5 Stars
Great manual mount for small telescopes!
If you dislike the idea of relying on electronics for your stargazing enjoyment, this is the mount for you. With this mount, I can star-hop to the objects I want to see with the use of a star map. I can quickly move from one object to another. Best of all, I don't need to worry about bringing a power supply and messing with finicky Go-To alignment procedures.
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Top reviews from the United States

Andrew
5.0 out of 5 stars Great grab and go mount
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2022
Verified Purchase
Mount comes fully assembled except for a few knobs. Very sturdy especially when used with dampeners and a weight hanging from middle. Easily handles 102mm refractor or a 6inch Maksutov telescopes. Slow motion controls are a joy, especially at higher magnifications, very easy to keep the object in view. Various adjustments to fit different telescopes are an added bonus. Nice to grab this mount and a scope and not have to deal with power issues or doing star alignments.
4 people found this helpful
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J. Johnson
4.0 out of 5 stars The fit and finish are good. The mount seems stable with the legs (tubular) ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
Ordered this to pair with a 120mm shorty refractor which is currently on back order, so I don't know how well this will perform under load. Shortly after I placed the order, I ran across several negative reviews of this mount. There were enough negative reviews that I cancelled the order. The mount was already shipping though and Amazon said I'd have to refuse delivery or return it. I wasn't home when the mount was delivered so I figured I'd have to go through the hassle of taking it to UPS, etc. Since it was here, I decided to open the box just to check it out.

Although it comes with assembly instructions, there was almost nothing to assemble - put on the slo-mo controls and the spreader/tray and that was it. That a was pleasant surprise.

The fit and finish are good. The mount seems stable with the legs (tubular) fully extended and the spreader in place. Actually, I'm not sure the spreader is even necessary, but that remains to be seen. The alt-az slewing movements are smooth as are slo-mo. The weight of the mount is noticeably less than my old C-8 tripod with EQ wedge. That's good because I want a grab-n-go and while my C-8 is not that much of an elephant, I don't consider it a GnG.

The only issue I found is the threads on the az slo-mo control weren't cut quite right or the setscrew was off a bit. I had to use a pair of adjustable pliers to get the screw tight while worrying I was going to strip it or shear it off. I proceeded slowly and neither happened.

People have said there's too much vibration or too long of a damping time with this mount, especially at high powers. Can't say without a scope mounted, but I intend to use this for low-power rich field and brighter DSOs, so I can live with a few seconds of damping. People have also commented about the quality of the slo-mo cables. They're ok, but they can always be replaced with knobs or better cables if necessary. There have also been comments questioning the ability of the dovetail bracket to hold a scope securely. I'm new to Vixen-style plates, so I can't comment on that, but the setscrews look like they'll do the job and again, the plate holder can also be upgraded.

So, I'm not sure I agree 100% with the negative reviews. This mount looks like a decent value for the price and the basic engineering and quality look good. If you're into tinkering / upgrading there are a few things you could do to trick it out more to your liking. I might defork my C-8 just to try it on this mount for grins. I'm pretty skeptical about that working, but it might be a pleasant surprise as well.

I'll post more impressions once I have the 120 on this thing and I try it out in the field.
5 people found this helpful
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gary
5.0 out of 5 stars JUST WHAT I WANTED
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is a great tripod for my 120 mm refractor. This mount is all about quality and simplicity. It’s solid and easy to use. If you’re looking for a mount that’s not a computerized go to system, and you’re not interested in messing with a equatorial mount, I encourage you to give this mount some serious consideration.
One person found this helpful
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Dundee
5.0 out of 5 stars The best manual Alt/Az Mount/Tripod for the money!
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2018
Verified Purchase
Two hundred bones may seem like a bit to spend on this thing but I'm glad I finally did. Worth every penny for what it is and what it does. Very smooth movement (wish I was this smooth, lol) and the slo-mo controls are a joy to use. The real kicker is that ES made this unit capable of various adjustments. The head can be adjusted for terrestrial or sky viewing. It can also be adjusted so that the Az slo-mo knob is on either side of the head at various points and the Alt knob can also be adjusted at various levels. I like options and this mount gives them to you. I've had a 120mm refractor, an ES 150mm reflector and a C6 on this thing without issue. I put my 11.5 lb. C8 on it for a couple weeks and the Az part of the mount started to scrape a bit. ES is replacing the part for me under warranty and their customer service is top notch. Is it the result of the 11 lb. C8 or was it a defective part to begin with? I don't know. It's rated at no more than 18 lb. load on the ES website page for it so an 11.5 lb. short tube SCT would be fine I should think. Nevertheless, it's a good unit from a good company with good customer service.
7 people found this helpful
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Jeff
3.0 out of 5 stars Great materials, but has a bad case of the wobbles.
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2023
Verified Purchase
The materials this mount is made from seem excellent, it's easy to use and will work just fine if you're not expecting too much. However the mount I received had a ton of slop in the AZ movements. Even after taking the mount apart and tightening everything down it still has a case of the wobbles, we can't even breathe next to this thing without the planets dancing around like crazy. Personally, for the money, I feel that there are other mounts out there that would do a better job.
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