TS-Optics 2" LED Collimator for RC Telescopes and all other Types of Telescopes

TS RCKOLLI 2" LED Collimator for all Types of Telescopes

The collimator is compatible with almost all popular optical systems and allows for a neat collimation at daylight. We especially recomend the collimator for all Cassegrain-like telescopes like Schmidt-Cassegrain, RC, Dall-Kirkham and similar telescope types. The collimator is very precise and the result of the collimation is mostly independent of tilting.

To achieve high-quality collimation even in broad daylight, simply plug the collimator into your focuser and follow, if necessary, the dedicated instruction manual for your OTA. This collimator in particular has two basic operating configurations: a refractor mode, with active white LEDs, and a Newtonian/reflector mode, with active red LEDs. Added to this is a third operating mode, with LEDs off, which is residual and dedicated to other OTAs.

Collimation of Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes and similar systems

It is well known that collimating an RC is not an easy thing. Due to the TS collimator, it is possible to obtain an ideal collimation result at daylight which is comparable with the Takahashi collimator. With this, there is always an optimally collimated RC telescope at your hand at night. At the same time, collimation is easy and can be done by anyone. But it is important that the secondary mirror of your telescope has a central mark.

Here you can download instructions for collimating an RC telescope with the TSRCKOLLI.

Instruction video

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

♦ Collimator
♦ Battery
♦ Lanyard
♦ Bag

 
The newest reviews:

(2 reviews)

* * * *
2022-07-26 00:00:19, Frank Eeckman

"Well made and easy to use, but relatively expensive. Unfortunately, it does not solve all the problems associated with collimation."
 
 

* * * * *
2021-06-09 08:47:53, JM GUTIERREZ

*****
 
 

The TSRCKOLLI in use on the GSRC10 10" f/8 RC

The 10" RC with the carbon tube (full tube) has been in use in my observatory for a long time. Until now I achieved good results with my ASI071MC Pro (APS-C format sensor). But now I want to marry my full format camera, the ASI 2400MC Pro with the RC, of course with the 1.0x corrector TSRCFlat3.

A quick look into the RC - all is well, the RC is well adjusted, as always. In the evening the first use should take place. The star in the center - nice and round and the secondary shadow centered, that´s how it should be. Then the view into the corners and ... distorted stars - crap, but the RC looked well adjusted. A short check, the APS-C format is still well imaged but at the outer edge the stars do not look good. The errors are concentrated on one side, not symmetrical, so either the corrector or the collimation. The night is over, now I can´t do anything.

Good that I bought the TSRCKOLLI to be on the safe side. The next day I simply plugged it into the 2" socket and switched on the red diodes. Before that I hung up a sheet in front of the RC, so I have a nice bright area. I could hardly believe it, the central marking of the secondary mirror was clearly offset to luminous dots, it was obvious at first sight. I had to adjust the fine adjustment on the secondary mirror mount by about 1/4 turn. After that the central marking of the secondary mirror was exactly in the center.

After that the main mirror comes on. Counter screws loosened and good to see that the outer ring was decentered. Carefully adjusted the outer ring with the adjusting screws so that the secondary mirror is centered.

The whole procedure took only about 10 minutes. A look through the RC without eyepiece shows no significant change from before. But the night will show it. I could hardly wait for the first stars to come. The first thing I did was look at Altair through the eyepiece - perfect - round, no astigmatism and even at high magnification, slightly out of focus and the secondary shadow was exactly centered. But that´s how it looked before collimation. So nothing like purely with the ASI 2400 full format camera and the Flattener, focused and ... right away I have round stars, in all four corners. The collimation worked, and with so little effort.

The TSRCKolli has earned its regular place in my equipment.

Wolfi Ransburg

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Question:
I can´t see the outer ring for the collimation of the primary mirror because the aperture tube is too narrow.

Answer from Teleskop-Service:
GSO has made the aperture tube a little narrower on some RCs. Also, Teleskop Service has developed an aperture ring for some RCs to avoid reflections at the edge. This can cause the outer ring to be covered. This does not affect the more important adjustment of the secondary mirror. But with a little trick you can also collimate the primary mirror.

After the secondary adjustment, loosen the counter screws of the primary mirror. 2.

2. then start with the first of the three collimation screws. Carefully turn until the outer ring behind the secondary mirror comes up on one side. Then turn the screw in the opposite direction until the ring emerges on the other side. Note how far you have adjusted the screw. 3.

Then turn the collimation screw back exactly 50%. Do the same thing with the other two collimation screws. Now you have adjusted the main mirror perfectly.