Has anyone used the Wanderer ETA tip tilt adapter? I know there are several YouTube types that have done so but I am looking for some less commercial real user feedback.
Any experience with the Wanderer ETA?
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i have. i tried on my edge 11 and could not get it to provide correct alignment. i had more success by simply tightening the adapters more.
It looks like such a good product, was simple to setup and use but it didn’t work for me.📷 tilt1.jpg
i do wonder if my image train is a bit too long for it. might have worked better without the reducer???
I’ve had good experiences with the ETA. Used it on 3 different setups ranging in focal length from 250mm to 2000mm and it has worked for all of them. The only real limiting factor I have with it is that it’s got a max of 1.2mm in any axis, so if your tilt is greater than that it won’t fix it (but 1.2mm is a lot of tilt). The other is more of a wish list of being able to trigger it from the NINA sequencer so I can run it after a meridian flip for example.
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I am using it as we speak on my remote UltraCat 108. It works perfectly for me. Honestly amazed by how well it performed. It measures your focuser step size and determines the corners all on its own in combination with HocusFocus, without having to know anything in particular about your setup.
The software is not fully integrated in NINA. You still have to use the native application it comes with to read the HocusFocus files from NINA, but it is not a big deal.
This would have saved me so much headache with my Epsilon if I had it previously, not only because it fixes your tilt, but it also allows you adjust your backfocus on the fly!
Its only downside is its M54 and I wish they would make an M68 version.
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Bill,
What are you planning on using it with. Having the Moravian C3 cameras I don't see it possible but maybe with the C1x cameras. As for the 54mm issue, I made two adapters that convert it to 68mm for a friend that still leaves the full 54mm opening in the ETA available.
What are you planning on using it with. Having the Moravian C3 cameras I don't see it possible but maybe with the C1x cameras. As for the 54mm issue, I made two adapters that convert it to 68mm for a friend that still leaves the full 54mm opening in the ETA available.
Bob Lockwood · Nov 4, 2025, 03:27 PM
Bill,
What are you planning on using it with. Having the Moravian C3 cameras I don't see it possible but maybe with the C1x cameras. As for the 54mm issue, I made two adapters that convert it to 68mm for a friend that still leaves the full 54mm opening in the ETA available.
In addition to two Moravian C3 26000 cameras I also have two ZWO cameras. One 2600 on a RedCat 71 that is OK as is and a 6200 that is going on my new AstroPhysics 155mm f/6 StarFire Christen Superachromat that I was lucky enough to get after being on the list for 26 years! 🥳
I have not had clear skies since getting the AP (of course 🥲) but if the standard ZWO system turns out to be too much of a pain, I might consider the Wanderer for the AP/ZWO 6200. If my calculations are right, it should be just possible to do with the right custom Precise Parts adapter (by a mere .1 mm!). The justification is mainly that when I change camera system rotation (easily done manually with the AP), it would likely change the tilt and having an easy way to readjust that would be much more user friendly!
You are correct that it would be all but impossible to use with the standard C3 Moravian cameras unless one has a ton of available back focus for the device and some custom adapters. Fortunately the Moravian tip/tilt system is not too bad, at least better than the ZWO, albeit also three screw sets instead of four. The spreadsheet to convert a four point result to three point correction that I found should be helpful (although I have yet to try it due to the aforementioned weather 🌧️)
I use it with my RASA 11 and a 6200mm. Works really well, easy to use. Short travel, though so you gotta be reasonablyđź“· 1000010101.jpg
close.
OK, I am convinced. I just placed an order for one and can even use a stock adapter part from AP as an adapter which is cheaper and faster.
I think the fact that it is winter and I can do this from indoors was the biggest factor! 🥶
Thanks to all for their input and I will update the thread once I get to use it!
Mike:
I use it with my RASA 11 and a 6200mm. Works really well, easy to use. Short travel, though so you gotta be reasonablyđź“· 1000010101.jpg
How do you get this on a RASA 11 without the giant "lobes" obstructing the aperture?
That’s what I was wondering too.
John Stone · Nov 5, 2025, 10:10 AM
How do you get this on a RASA 11 without the giant "lobes" obstructing the aperture?
Not a Celestron guy but I suspect the answer is that you don’t.
I also suspect that this would not work for focusers like the Leo and such where there is not much free space to the sides of the drawtube. In those cases the CTU body would probably strike the focuser body since most of those focusers (Leo, Nightcrawler, Hercules, etc.) do not have much extension and have a wide, flat back end.
If one has a ton of extra back focus to play with it would probably work with almost any scope and camera but the faster systems where the CTU is most beneficial are often also the ones with smaller and very specific back focus requirements due to their flatteners.
It is also clear that these were designed around the ubiquitous 90 mm cylindrical camera format and that for cameras like my Moravian C3 they would be limited to systems with lots of back focus leeway.
Mine will be for the AP 155 and a ZWO 6200/FW/OAG and every measurement I have taken and downloaded indicates that it should work for that.
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https://asgastronomy.com/electronic-photon-cage/ - Little more RASA friendly alternative. Still based around 90mm cameras, but we just finished a ASI 461 version as well. Been running mine on a RASA 11 for about a year and half now.
Josh Jones · Nov 5, 2025, 04:29 PM
https://asgastronomy.com/electronic-photon-cage/ - Little more RASA friendly alternative.
Yes, I think most users are familiar with the Photon Cage system, it was one of the first, if not the first.
It apparently works well although I have only used the (no longer made) Octopi.
It is much more expensive, however, so might not be the most cost effective solution for situations where the Wanderer will work.
All of this depends on how well the Wanderer works and how reliable and stable it is. That is something that is yet to be conclusively demonstrated in large samples, so stay tuned.
Josh Jones:
https://asgastronomy.com/electronic-photon-cage/ - Little more RASA friendly alternative. Still based around 90mm cameras, but we just finished a ASI 461 version as well. Been running mine on a RASA 11 for about a year and half now.
Does your software also do the automatic tilt correction calculations from the NINA hocus focus aberration inspector?
With the Wanderer, you do a focus run in the Hocus Focus Aberration Inspector, then you click a couple buttons in the Wanderer control software and it analyzes the Hocus Focus result and applies the new tilt correction automatically.
A couple iterations and you're down to 5u of tilt which is in the measurement noise.
It's like magic.
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John Stone · Nov 5, 2025, 09:25 PM
Josh Jones:
https://asgastronomy.com/electronic-photon-cage/ - Little more RASA friendly alternative. Still based around 90mm cameras, but we just finished a ASI 461 version as well. Been running mine on a RASA 11 for about a year and half now.
Does your software also do the automatic tilt correction calculations from the NINA hocus focus aberration inspector?
Probably not, but I don’t view the ETA as a RASA friendly alternative due to the increased and non-round obstruction
John Stone · Nov 5, 2025, 09:25 PM
Josh Jones:
https://asgastronomy.com/electronic-photon-cage/ - Little more RASA friendly alternative. Still based around 90mm cameras, but we just finished a ASI 461 version as well. Been running mine on a RASA 11 for about a year and half now.
Does your software also do the automatic tilt correction calculations from the NINA hocus focus aberration inspector?
With the Wanderer, you do a focus run in the Hocus Focus Aberration Inspector, then you click a couple buttons in the Wanderer control software and it analyzes the Hocus Focus result and applies the new tilt correction automatically.
A couple iterations and you're down to 5u of tilt which is in the measurement noise.
It's like magic.
No, it’s not automatic. Easy to do with input value and move, but it doesn’t run automatically from NINA, nor does the Wander one I believe. So still have to click a button in our software as well.
The goal is to eventually get it so it could be in a sequence of NINA at some level, but not sure that is even truly what one would want. It’s a delicate process and more like collimation. Nobody has automated or would probably want automated collimation either. It’s something you sort of look at and at some level are ok with.
I did send a system to George who does the Hocus Focus quite a few months ago, he was looking to actually integrate into NINA so it would automate fully, but no word on that part yet.
I also have it, but didn’t have enough clear skies to test it
I'm in contact with wanderer astro, and they just told me Yesterday that integration in NINA advanced sequencer should be available pretty soon.
That’s some good news !
Benoit SAINTOT · Nov 7, 2025, 11:13 PM
I also have it, but didn’t have enough clear skies to test it
I'm in contact with wanderer astro, and they just told me Yesterday that integration in NINA advanced sequencer should be available pretty soon.
That’s some good news !
That’s great news!
I use the Wanderer ETA in combination with my EDGE 11, behind a Primalucelab focuser/rotator combination. Works like a charm. The primalucelab combo also works fairly nicely, unfortunately it seems to add some tilt - apparently on the IMO not fully convincing interface telescope side - which means tilt correction is different for each rotation angle. The five save positions allow however to sufficiently bootstrap the tilt correction for various rotation angles.
Matthias
PS: great news regarding the upcoming NINA interface
I am currently testing it on a UNC converted to F3 with the Star Arizona nexus. I am planning to put it on remote in Spain. I had good but inconsistent results the first night as it fixed the tilt but on the second run did the opposite. It might be due to full moon and clouds. It is very promising for me though. Hearing that it will be integrated in NINA sequencer makes me happy as it will probably be necessary after the meridian flip
I received mine and it is installed on the new AP 155. I just need some weather to test it. I think I have also figured out how to make it work on my FSQ and Moravian C3 but want to test it on the AP 155 first. I would like to get it to work on my Epsilon 130 but since the Epsilon has the LEO focuser there is no way to install it w/o the body of the Wanderer hitting the body of the LEO. I will be selling the E130 instead to make room for both the AP 155 and FSQ on the mount.
Just barely a few minutes of semi-clear last night but enough to try it on the new AP 155. The clouds came in before I could work with the backfocus so there may be a tiny bit that could be improved in that way but the tilt is now basically zero. It was about 15% “mild” when checked before w/o the Wanderer. I had to do three runs before the confidence level was acceptable but that was probably the semi-clear passing clouds.
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Bill McLaughlin · Nov 10, 2025, 05:15 PM
Just barely a few minutes of semi-clear last night but enough to try it on the new AP 155. The clouds came in before I could work with the backfocus so there may be a tiny bit that could be improved in that way but the tilt is now basically zero. It was about 15% “mild” when checked before w/o the Wanderer. I had to do three runs before the confidence level was acceptable but that was probably the semi-clear passing clouds.
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Fantastic result. It is mind boggling how simple and compact this device compared to other electronic alternatives is but it seems to just work.
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Ashraf AbuSara · Nov 10, 2025, 05:24 PM
It is mind boggling how simple and compact this device compared to other electronic alternatives is but it seems to just work.
True. It is interesting that it comes from Wanderer who until now made mostly simple things. Someone saw a need and managed to get it right.