Sensor Tilt (finally!)

The much awaited and requested sensor tilt video. Did I leave anything out? Let me know if you have any questions or if you're still having difficulty and I'll put out more content. The main things are to be patient and methodical! Clear skies, friends.

[@craiggoble3281]

Finally! A detailed, useful explanation on how to align the sensor! Thanks so much!

[@richdemidio1300]

Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!! After spending several hours of trying to understand the set screws, your video cleared everything up for me. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!

[@peterraymond3653]

Easy to follow and thorough explination. Thank you, much appreciated

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Glad it helped! Clear skies.

[@carlosastronomy2293]

Hi, thanks for the explanation, I have a question on the CCDI result on the first test showing 61degress tilt with a arrow to the top right corner, i find you said you unscrewed a bit the bottom left of the camera side to level it. I seem not to understand CCDI tilt error result and which camera side to touch to fix the tilt. Thanks Charles.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Hey thanks, Charles. This bit is a little tricky because of the way normal camera lenses work. A lens flip's the image on both horizonal and vertical axis. The camera corrects this automatically in firmware. So a photon that hits the bottom right corner of your sensor (as you look at it) will light up the pixel in the top left of your image. So if you're doing adjustments from the back of the camera, you flip the vertical axis again. So if you see the error in the top right of your image, as your standing behind the sensor, you adjust the bottom right of the sensor.

[@OlliesSpace]

Good to know I didn't know much about this. Something to be aware of. Cheers👍

[@mikeharden7904]

Good and informative video on tilt. Thanks

[@Ben_Stewart]

I learned something new today.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Same.

[@magedsyehia]

@DeepSpaceDad I wanted to ask if I should vertically flip the image on ASTAP before I check for tilt and in case of refractor I should only flip the image vertically and not horizontally right?

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Don't flip the image at all. Just be aware of the way the setup puts the image on the screen

[@DeepSpaceDad]

You can do a test by disconnecting the camera and taking pictures with a corner of the sensor window covered by something. Look at the image and note where the shadowed corner in the image is. Make your adjustments based on those notes

[@Anima420]

Hiya mate, just wanted to say thanks for the tutorial. I definitely needed more backspacing. Noticed that just bc of the curvature reading from ccd inspector. Thanks a lot

[@DeepSpaceDad]

No problem! Happy to help y

[@craiggoble3281]

Hi! Follow-up question. After you got the adjustment perfected, can you explain how you then handled the final setting of all three sets of screws? As in collimation of a Neutonian primary mirror, did you just tighten any loose push screws til they touch the tilt plate? How about each of the three pull screws..how tight did you make each of those? Thanks again! -Craig

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Great question. I had all of them slightly tight, so that final adjustments locked it in. Then I gave all of them a snug, you definitely don't want to crank down on anything, just enough so they aren't coming loose or letting the camera flex too much. Then check it again, make a final adjustment or two. The point is when you're really dialing it in it should be kind of snug already.

[@craiggoble3281]

@@DeepSpaceDad Very good! I'll give it a try after I make sure that it's an issue with my ASI 2600 and not the image train. Can't tell you how much your video and follow-up really helps. There are a few KZbin presenters that have tackled this subject but, bless their hearts, didn't explain the "nuts and bolts" of the project to the extent that you did. I look forward to more videos! CS, Craig

[@simonandtati]

Thank you for this information. Question, do you have to do this every time you use the RASA or only once? Also where did you get the tilt plate? Thanks

[@DeepSpaceDad]

You only have to set it up once. The tilt plate came with the camera but you can buy aftermarket plates to put on a camera if it doesn't have one.

[@rashmibhatt7274]

I have tilt on my bottom left corner. How do I fix it? Thxs

[@DeepSpaceDad]

You can buy a tilt plate adapter like this to adjust it like I showed in the video agenaastro.com/zwo-t2-tilter-adapter-ii.html

[@rashmibhatt7274]

@@DeepSpaceDad Thanks for reply. Is it possible to send u one of images and see what you think. Can u use your ccd inspector i don't have one and I cannot download it. Thanks

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Yes certainly. Upload it here and I will take a look this afternoon. 1drv.ms/f/s!AqTKfoaP_849hIRuzKT5-e4C3EaaGw

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Or upload it anywhere you want and share a link to me

[@rashmibhatt7274]

Hi I tried to upload my image but its failing. Can u give me your email address maybe I can send through that Thanks

[@derekderek2570]

Awesome info and amazing deck! Subscribed.

[@derekderek2570]

Oh and highly recommend avoiding starizona

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Thanks so much!

[@TheMje1963]

Just saw your video, Maybe you should send Steve at Starizona about your modification? I myself got a CTU from Gerd Neumann website. This allows you to adjust your tilt from the side and you don't have to keep removing your image train. In my case thats, OAG, Filterwheel & Camera everytime to make an adjustment. You know what a pain that could be.

[@pcboreland1]

Very informative, but what about the large dec backlash problem you seem to have?

[@DeepSpaceDad]

What about it? I keep the balance a little south heavy and it keeps it from opening up.

[@bobbeanbags]

Thanks for this!!!

[@DeepSpaceDad]

My pleasure!

[@paulwilson8367]

Did you determine in advance that your tilt was "camera sensor tilt"? Well, I used ZWOs published suggestions of how to find the tilt, because I have 2 cameras! I took a few subs of a star field. Then (I have a RASA 8) I rotated the camera 90 degrees, 5 more subs, then 90 more degrees rotation and 5 more subs. ZWO says, if you do the rotations and then the tilt depictions in CCDI or ASTAP "do NOT rotate with the camera, but stay in the same place, THEN you likely have sensor tilt. But that's not what I got! The depictions of extreme tilt DID rotate with the camera, strongly suggesting "optical train tilt". Not sensor tilt. This was true using both ASI2600 cams, MC and MM. Now what? ZWO says that next you check your camera adaptor for the tilt. I was using the Starizona Filter Holder for cameras with 17.5mm back focus. With the adaptor (11.5mm back focus) that adds up to 29mm, very close, within .25mm of ideal. So in the swap, I used a new custom built adaptor that gets exactly 28.73mm of back focus. This adaptor is held by screws to the camera instead of threads. Result: still shredded stars in the bottom corners of my images. Great. So, I am going to repeat the adaptor tests and make sure of that result. But at the moment, there is real evidence to at least suspect that my tilt is coming from optical distortions in the RASA 8 itself. I can't see trying to use the tiny screws on the ASI tilt plates if the problem is actually in the scope! So I don't know what to do yet, the scope may eventually return to California for repairs there, though first I will confirm the collimation.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Yeah it was a little of both and camera sensor tilt is a lot easier to adjust with the screws than hunting down the tilt in the train and making custom adapters and things. So i just dialed it in with the tilt plate on the camera.

[@paulwilson8367]

@@DeepSpaceDad just 1 camera?

[@DeepSpaceDad]

@@paulwilson8367 yes

[@brunocv.4435]

did you use a coma corrector too?

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Not on an SCT, no

[@JohnLenardWalson]

thankyou

[@DeepSpaceDad]

You're welcome!

[@JohnLenardWalson]

@@DeepSpaceDad incredible hard work you are very talented

[@yangyunbo1]

could you draw some paper,i am not quite understand it.maybe you can upload final MK2 version.😄

[@NGC7000]

I thought I will enjoy astrophotography, but the more I learn about it, the more frustrating I become.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Yeah it can be a frustrating hobby sometimes. What are you having problems with?

[@NGC7000]

@@DeepSpaceDad I’m dealing with elongated starts in both top corners of my pictures. The elongation is pointing toward the center of the frame. The problem start from the median and going to the two up corners. I believe that it must be my secondary mirror who’s not well adjusted. My telescope is a Newtonian ORION 10” f/3.9, and my camera is a CMOST ZWO ASI 1600 Monochromatic, with a filter wheel.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Are you using a coma corrector?

[@NGC7000]

@@DeepSpaceDad I’m using a Baader Planetarium 2" Mark III coma corrector.

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Your sensor is probably tilted too close to the coma corrector on the bottom of the camera. Does it improve if you push the bottom of the sensor farther away with the tilt plate screws?

[@RJ-cu4cj]

Going to try to make these adjustments this weekend. Does the 'criss-cross' adjust apply to refractors too???

[@DeepSpaceDad]

Yes it has to do with the way the camera flips the image, not the scope.