Explore Scientific TWILIGHT Series, Manual

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20
TWILIGHT SERIES MOUNTS
Installing the Head Mount
Remove the head mount from its box and take off the bubble wrap and plastic. Align the
notch in the head mount with the post on the tripod housing. From below, turn the T-bar
to thread the support assembly up into the head mount.
Once the mount is attached, position the plate/accessory tray so that its arms press
firmly against the tripod’s legs. Tighten the knurled nut between the T-bar and the
washers, if needed, to secure the plate in place and further stabilize the tripod.
Installing the Slow-Motion Controls
Now that the head mount is in place, it is time to install the slow-motion controls to the
brass pins on the head mount. The long one goes on the top pin and controls the vertical
(altitude) movement of the telescope. The short one goes on the pin located at the base of
the head mount and is used for horizontal (azimuth) motion. Finally, thread a locking pin
into the holes near each installed control. These are used to lock the mount in place once
you have achieved your desired position.
Adjusting the Angle of the Mount
When you take the head mount out of the box, its fork arm will be in the standard
vertical position, which is great for daytime terrestrial viewing and many astronomical
observing situations. However, the mount can be easily moved to a 60° angle to view
steeper expanses of space and even point some telescopes to the zenith.
To change the angle of the head mount, remove the two socket head screws that hold
the fork arm in place with the provided 4.5mm hex wrench. These screws are located on
the side of the fork arm near its base. Once the screws are removed, rotate the fork arm
downward toward the lower slow-motion control. Align the set of threaded holes that are
closest to your desired angle then reinstall the two screws.
If changing the angle causes your telescope’s optical tube assembly (OTA) to run into
the azimuth slow-motion control, you can reposition the base of the fork arm. To do this,
remove the four socket head screws that hold the base in place using the provided hex
wrench. These will be located on the topside of the base. Rotate the fork arm away from
the slow-motion control. Match the four threaded holes then reattach the screws.
Attaching a Telescope to the Mount
To attach your telescope to the mount, loosen the two tension screws (one has a large
knurled head) on the top of the mount until the ends of the screws are flush with the
interior wall of the dovetail holder. Slide the dovetail plate that is connected to your
telescope into position and firmly retighten the screws.