This item is no longer available.
Achromatic Refractor
The classic air-spaced, crown-and-flint, doublet achromatic refractor is reborn with the aim to produce superior-class optical figure in a short (f/6.5) focal length design with Explore Scientific Air-Spaced Doublet AR Series. Whether you choose the AR127 model, you will be impressed by the stunning images revealed to you at the eyepiece and all at a small fraction of the price you'd pay for a comparably sized apochromat refractor.
Designed to handle the rigors of public star parties and educational outreach, the Explore Scientific AR Series telescopes come with heavy-duty, high quality components, including a 2" dual-speed Crayford-style focuser, a one-piece 2" diagonal with 99% dielectric coatings, an 8 x 50 non-illuminated straight -thru finderscope and quick release bracket and a cradle ring assembly with Vixen-style dovetail mount. Just add a few eyepieces and the alt-azimuth or equatorial mount of your choice (all available separately) and you'll be ready to discover the Universe.
Twilight I Altazimuth Mount with Tripod
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 deg. 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.