TS-Optics GSO 16 inch f/8 RC telescope Gen 2 with carbon truss tube and improved focuser

TS-Optics 16" f/8 RC Ritchey-Chrétien telescope with carbon truss tube

The telescope is optimized for astrophotography with fixed installation in observatories. It is manufactured by GSO for Teleskop-Service. The hyperbolic optics and the improved mechanics ensure a large, well illuminated, photographically usable field of view. The tube weight is around 42 kg. The tube is supplied with a Losmandy style dovetail bar on both sides. With a length of approx. 1300 mm, the 16? RC still has room in compact observatories.

The 16"-f/8-RC astrograph illuminates about 60 mm field very well. Without corrector lens, you have a field of approx. 40 mm diameter with very good correction. You have a pure reflection system, so you do not need an IR cut filter and can also use the infrared light of the objects, for example. After all, the sensors are relatively sensitive in this range. For larger cameras, we offer correctors and focal reducers that are designed for RC telescopes.

The advantages of the TS-Optics RC Telescopes at a glance:

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

Astrophotography with camera sensors up to 30 mm diameter ia also possible without a corrector. For larger sensors, like full-frame size, Teleskop-Service offers ready-to-use corrector solutions.

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

Significantly shorter cooling 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.

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

Astrophotography through the RC telescope:
Thanks to the large corrected field of view of the RC telescopes, you can, for example, take photos with SLR cameras up to APS-C format without a corrector. The RC is therefore a pure mirror system for astrophotography. The images are ultra-sharp. For images directly in focus, you will need the M117x1 extension tubes, which are included in the scope of delivery. These are screwed between the telescope and the focuser and thus reduce the back focus. The generous back focus also allows the connection of correctors, which we recommend from the use of full-frame sensors. You can also connect a focal reducer to increase the speed of the RC.

The carbon tube with stainless steel and aluminum connections:

The tube combines the advantages of a carbon tube in terms of temperature stability with the rigidity of a full tube. Refocusing is not necessary when the temperature changes.



Primary mirror ventilation for quick cooling:
Quartz glass mirrors have no problems with focus drift, but they still have to be adapted to the temperature, otherwise they give off heat and cause tube seeing. Three fans at the back of the mirror accelerate this process.

Primary mirror and secondary mirror made of quartz glass:
Quartz glass does not change its properties with temperature differences. If the temperature drops slowly during the exposure, other mirror materials, such as Pyrex, cause the mirror to deform and the focus to shift. This problem does not exist with quartz glass mirrors. The focus is therefore held better, which is very important for long exposures. Both mirrors are 94 % reflective. The image is noticeably brighter than with telescopes with only 90 % reflective coating.

The advantages of TS RC telescopes for astrophotography:
The TS RC astrographs are true Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes. Maksutovs and Schmidt-Cassegrains have spherical mirrors and need correctors for making a large field usable. With Schmidt-Cassegrains, you can see the aberrations in the field even when working visually. Most times, Maksutov-Cassegrains are so slow that they are not suitable for astrophotography. RC telescopes have hyperbolical primary and secondary mirrors. They are more difficult to manufacture, but offer a significantly sharper field with less aberrations throughout the field.

Why is the RC Telescope superior to Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes with correctors:
Celestron EHD or Meade ACF telescopes need a corrector. Additionally, these telescopes have a Schmidt plate at the front side which is prone to dew. The RC is a pure reflection system without lenses in the light path. Thus you can use the complete light even in the infrared range. The image is brighter and the exposure times get shorter. The field of an RC telescope is coma-free by design and relatively flat.

No shifting problem with TS RC telescopes:
Telescopes with focusing via movable primary mirror often suffer from the shifting problem. The image shifts while focusing or even jumps. By now, Meade and Celestron have the problem under control, but the effect is noticable nonetheless. TS RC telescopes do not have this problem, as their primary mirror is fixed. Focusing is done via a high-quality focuser. An additional advantage is the optimal distance from primary to secondary mirror. This gives you the guarantee of the best possible image. If the primary mirror moves relatively to the secondary, you will practically never have the optimal distance.

Astrophotographic results obtained with this telescope on Astrobin:
The RC telescopes are very well suited for astrophotography. Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this telescope model: Link to Astrobin

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 the TSRCKOLLI or a collimating telescope for adjusting the telescope. These tools are linked in the "Cleaning & Collimating" section.

Instruction video:
Teleskop-Service has created an instruction video about collimating an RC telescope:

Astrophotographic results obtained with this telescope on Astrobin

The RC telescopes are very well suited for astrophotography. Here you can find some astrophotographs made with this telescope model: Link to Astrobin

Video with (not only) detailed views

Our customer Michael Pagitz has created a video in which he shows the telescope in his observatory in great images. We are happy to publish it:

Safety informations: PDF Download