Ritchey-Chrétien (RC) telescopes are highly prized for their excellent optical performance, especially for astrophotography. At the same time however RCs were always very expensive. To change this the well-known US-based distributor “Astro-Tech” asked GSO to produce true RC telescopes. GSO is best known for their excellent Newtonian optics which they have built for many years now.
The result of this joint venture is an affordable RC that is superior in most aspects to a conventional Schmidt-Cassegrain. Bintel is an Australian distributor for these instruments from GSO.
Bintel GSO RC8 f/8 Astrograph Carbon Fibre
A Ritchey Chretien astrograph with features to please imaging enthusiasts is finally here.
200mm f/8 true Ritchey Chretien provides excellent light grasp and resolution. The focal length of 1625mm results in suitable image scale for a multitude of deep sky targets.
Bintel’s RCA series feature precision figured hyperbolic primary and secondary mirrors. As it contains no refractive optics there is no chromatic aberration at all – none.
Primary and secondary mirrors are low thermal expansion quartz substrate with durable, high reflectivity dielectric coatings (>99% reflectivity across the entire visual spectrum).
The Carbon fibre tube does more than just look good – carbon fibre is used because of its strength and rigidity. With long exposure imaging in mind you benefit from minimized flexure.
Another great feature of these RC telescopes is their fixed primary mirror. The distance between the primary and secondary mirrors is precisely set during manufacturing to optimize optical performance. All focusing is done using the Dual Speed Linear Crayford focuser meaning focus is precise with no mirror shift commonly encountered with SCT and similar scopes.
Supplied with upgraded, heavy duty 2″ dual speed linear Crayford focuser.
Supplied with D-Style wide dovetail mounting plate and Vixen profile dovetail on top for mounting auxiliary scope.
Supplied with 3 threaded extension tubes that connect between the OTA and the focuser allowing correct spacing for CCD equipment.
Features designed baffle tube to suppress internal reflections.
OTA Weight: 7.5kg
Bintel GSO RCA-200 f/8 Astrograph (Carbon) Specifications
| Optical Design |
Ritchey-Chrétien |
| Diameter |
200mm |
| Focal Length |
1625mm |
| Focal Ratio |
F/8 |
| Resolution |
0.57′ (arc seconds) |
| Back Focus |
254mm from rear cell, or 159mm with standard focuser installed |
| Extension Tubes |
1 x 50mm, 2 x 25mm included (M90 x1mm Thread) |
| Weight |
7.5kgs |
| Dovetails |
Supplied with Losmandy (D style) on bottom and Vixen ( V style) on top. |
| Collimating Ring |
Optional |
