TS-Optics 500mm f/8 RC Teleskop - Gen. II - Lightweight Truss OTA

TS 500mm f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien Telescope Gen. II

The large RC is designed for photographic and visual use in observatories. The RC illuminates about 70 mm of field very well. Without a corrector, you have a good, flat field with a diameter of about 35 mm. You have a pure reflection system, so you can also use the infrared light. For larger sensors or full-frame sensors with high resolution, however, we recommend a suitable corrector to improve the star image towards the edge.

Lightweight design - modern honeycomb mirror:
The new generation stands for a reduced dead weight, but above all for better collimation stability. The primary mirror is no longer solid, but is significantly lighter thanks to the honeycomb design, as in professional observatories. This saves weight and also improves the stability of the collimation. The mirror is fixed laterally by 10 support points and supported on the flat underside by 18 computer-optimized support points. This means that the collimation does not change even with larger panning movements. In addition, the glare shield on the primary mirror is also made of carbon to further reduce weight.

General advantages of TS-Optics RC telescopes at a glance:

Hyperbolic primary mirror and secondary mirror for a large, fully corrected field of view.

Astrophotography with camera sensors up to 30 mm diameter is also possible without a corrector. For larger sensors, for example full frame, Teleskop-Service offers ready-made corrector solutions.

94% enhanced reflectivity on primary and secondary mirror for an even brighter image.

Significantly faster cool-down time due to open design and active primary mirror ventilation.

Internal baffles in the tube for even more contrast.

Large back focus for correctors, reducers or binoviewers

High-quality 3" RAP focuser with M77x0.75 internal thread on the drawtube and M74x0.75 external thread and 2"/1.25" receptacles.

Astrophotography with the RC telescope:
Sensors up to APS-C format can be used without a corrector. The RC is a pure mirror system and can therefore also be used for infrared photography, provided the camera is sensitive to infrared light. If you want to use larger sensors or improve the focal ratio of f/8, we recommend additional correctors. We particularly recommend:

TSRCFLAT3 3? full frame 1.0x corrector: This corrector is optimized for large sensors, the focal ratio of f/8 is maintained. The corrector has the M68x1 male thread on the telescope side. Suitable adapters for the M68x1 internal thread are linked.

CCD47 2" 0.67x focal length reducer: The corrector improves the focal ratio from f/8 to a fast f/5.36 and significantly shortens the exposure time. It is simply connected via the 2" receptacle of the focuser.

TSRCRED-G2 3" 0.8x focal reducer: This corrector is specially designed for the RC telescopes from GSO and provides optimal results even with full-frame sensors. The focal ratio is improved to f/6.4. The corrector is screwed to the focuser and has a male M78x1 thread on the telescope side. Suitable adapters to the 3" rack and pinion focuser are available.

Astrophotographic results achieved with this telescope on Astrobin:
The RC telescopes are very well suited for astrophotography. Here are some astrophotographs taken with this telescope model: Link to Astrobin

The improved focuser - Gen 2:
The focuser has been significantly improved and offers greater accuracy and significantly improved rigidity. The focuser focuses without any problems even under high weight loads.

Bearing of the draw tube via a stainless steel rail with ball bearings

Adjustment via a toothed rack - rack-and-pinion principle

Adjustment range of the draw tube is 50 mm

Suitable for EAF motor focus and similar without additional adapter

Additional thread: M82x1 external, M77x1 internal, M74x1 external and M69x1 internal

Video with information about RC telescopes:
On our YouTube account you will find a video about the characteristics of the Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes in general and the features of the GSO RCs in particular, as well as suggestions for accessories:

Adjusting the RC telescope:
We recommend using the TSRCKOLLI or an adjustment telescope to adjust the telescope. These aids are linked in the "Adjustment and cleaning" section.

Instruction video:
Teleskop-Service has made an instruction video on the subject of RC collimation:

Safety informations: PDF Download