Tilt only sensor for telescope.

You might use a "stretch" sensor connected between moving and fixed parts.

Create a lookup table how much stretch is generated @ which angle. You can do with 5 or 10 values and interpolate them by means of - Arduino Playground - MultiMap - if it is not linear.

Another trick could be some hall sensors with different resistors in parallel and a magnet triggering one sensor at the time.

 +5V ---< R0 >-----< HALL >-----+  0 degrees
                                |
 +5V ---< R1 >-----< HALL >-----+  10 degrees
                                |
 +5V ---< R2 >-----< HALL >-----+  20 degrees
                                |
                                .
                                |
 +5V ---< R9 >-----< HALL >-----+  90 degrees
                                |
                                |
                                +----- arduino AnalogRead()