Wanderer Astro ETA M54 Electronic Tilt Adjuster
- Three Motorized Adjusters
- 2 Micron Positioning Accuracy
- 5mm Back Focus Consumption
- 470g Total Weight
- Full NINA Integration for Auto-Tilt
The Wanderer ETA M54 replaces manual guesswork with three motorized adjusters, achieving a positioning accuracy of 2 microns over a 1.2mm range. It consumes only 5mm of back focus and weighs just 470g, allowing it to integrate into standard 55mm imaging trains without extensive reconfiguration. Each motor step delivers 0.3 microns of adjustment, enabling remote correction of sensor tilt even in temperatures down to -20°C.
The Wanderer ETA M54 ends the frustration of adjusting tilt screws by hand in the dark. It employs three independent motors paired with three high-precision encoders to manage your camera's orientation. This system provides a total adjustment range of 1.2mm with a motor resolution of just 0.3 microns per step.
This level of precision allows you to achieve a final positioning accuracy of up to 2 microns, which is critical for correcting field tilt in fast focal ratio systems and large-format sensors. The robust design is tested to remain fully operational at -20°C, ensuring reliable remote adjustments during harsh winter imaging sessions.
Engineered for seamless integration, the Wanderer ETA M54 features an exceptionally thin design that consumes only 5mm of back focus. On the camera side it fixes with M2.5 or M3 screws through six slots spaced at 60 degrees, directly in front of your camera, filter wheel or Off-Axis Guider (OAG), and in most cases still keeps the standard 55mm back focus. The M54 female thread is for the telescope side only; to thread camera-side devices on, use the optional Camera Side M54 Female Adapter.
At just 470g, the ETA M54 adds minimal weight to the imaging train, reducing the risk of flexure or strain on your focuser. A dual-layer nested structure ensures complete light-tightness, preventing any internal reflections or external light leaks from degrading your images.
Automatic tilt correction is now a reality thanks to the Wanderer ETA M54's seamless integration with N.I.N.A. imaging software. With the Hocus Focus plugin installed in N.I.N.A., you run Aberration Inspector to measure tilt across the field, and WandererEmpire reads those results and commands the ETA M54 to correct the tilt.
After each adjustment you run Aberration Inspector again and repeat until the result is optimal; typically the corner Adj Microns values come down to within 5-10 microns. The ETA corrects tilt only and does not guarantee perfect star shapes. For manual control, the WandererEmpire interface provides a clear, visual representation of the tilt plate's current position, allowing for intuitive, real-time adjustments from your control computer.
The Wanderer ETA M54 eliminates the difficult, imprecise, and frustrating process of adjusting tilt screws by hand in the dark. It provides remote, motorized control with a positioning accuracy of 2 microns, a level of precision manual adjustment cannot reliably achieve, especially on remote setups.
Yes. The Wanderer ETA M54 is designed with an ultra-thin 5mm profile. This allows it to be installed, typically in front of an OAG or camera, while still maintaining the standard 55mm back focus distance required by most correctors.
Fast optical systems are extremely sensitive to sensor tilt. The ETA M54's ability to make repeatable, remote adjustments with a resolution of 0.3 microns and an accuracy of 2 microns is critical for achieving sharp, round stars from edge to edge with these demanding instruments.
Yes. The Wanderer ETA M54 has seamless integration with N.I.N.A. via the WandererEmpire software. Automatic tilt adjustment works only in N.I.N.A. with the Hocus Focus plugin: you run Aberration Inspector, click Automatic Tilt Adjustment in WandererEmpire, then check again and repeat until the result is optimal.
The device adds only 470g to your imaging train and consumes just 5mm of back focus, making it a lightweight and optically thin addition to most setups.
In a typical QHY imaging train with the QHY268M, replace the QHY tilt ring with the Wanderer ETA M54 and screw it directly to the front of the QHY OAG-M or OAG-L (Pro). This keeps the standard 55mm back focus, as shown in the user manual. Place the light leak gasket between the OAG and the ETA, and swap the OAG prism thumb screws for shorter screws.
| Kind | Electronic tilt adjuster |
| Optical length | 5 mm (screw mount); 10 mm with Camera Side M54 Female Adapter |
| Telescope side | M54x0.75 Female |
| Camera side | M2.5/M3 screws through six 60° slots (M54 Female with optional adapter) |
| Motorized | Yes |
| Load capacity | 3 kg |
| Resolution | 0.3 µm per step, 2 µm accuracy, 1.2 mm travel |
| Weight | 470 g |
Wanderer ETA M54
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USB 2.0 Type-B cable
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Six longer mounting screws
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