RC Optical Systems
Encyclopedia
RC Optical Systems is a high-end American telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
and optics manufacturer that specializes in Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes with hyperbolic mirrors. RC also makes related mounts and systems for the telescopes, with a focus on open and closed carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
trusses for low expansion. The Ritchey-Chrétien uses two mirrors and no refractors, which reduces light loss and its optical characteristics make it popular for astrophotography
Astrophotography
Astrophotography is a specialized type of photography that entails recording images of astronomical objects and large areas of the night sky. The first photographs of an astronomical object were taken in the 1840s, but it was not until the late 19th century that advances in technology allowed for...
. RC Optical Systems was started 1998 and is located in Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff, Arizona
Flagstaff is a city located in northern Arizona, in the southwestern United States. In 2010, the city's population was 65,870. The population of the Metropolitan Statistical Area was at 134,421 in 2010. It is the county seat of Coconino County...
. Telescopes and systems are sold commercially to individuals, institutions, and governments. The smallest RCOS telescope, the 12.5 inch F/9 Ritchey-Chrétien had a base price of just over twenty thousand US dollars in 2009, with large and/or custom models costing considerably more.
RC Optical Systems and Star Instruments won a lawsuit in 2008 against Meade Instruments over Meade's description of RCX400 and LX200R
Meade LX200
The Meade LX200 is a family of commercial telescopes produced by Meade Instruments launched in 1992 with 8″ and 10″ schmidt-cassegrain models on computerized mounts.Rod Mollise - The Past, Present and Future of the Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope , . 12" and 16" models quickly followed...
telescopes and the Ritchey-Chrétien classification
RC Optical Systems produced the Lulin Observatory
Lulin Observatory
Lulin Observatory is an astronomical observatory operated by the Institute of Astronomy, National Central University in Taiwan.It is located at the summit of Mount Lulin, on the border of Chiayi County and Nantou County, near Yushan National Park...
0.41-m (16-inch) f/8.8 in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
Six .61 RCOS are being used in the PROMPT
Prompt
Prompt may refer to:* Command prompt, in computing, one or more characters in a command line interface to indicate that the computer is ready to accept typed input...
telescope (Panchromatic Robotic Optical Monitoring and Polarimetry Telescopes), which is being built by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
.
A 50 cm aperture RCOS telescope formed the basis of the TacSat-2
TacSat-2
TacSat-2 is an experimental satellite built by the USAF's Air Force Research Laboratory with an operational life expected to be not more than one year as part of the 'Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration' program.-Purpose:The TacSat series of experimental spacecraft are designed to allow...
observation system, an experimental satellite launched in 2006.
Major designs offered by 2009, over a decade after its founding included
Telescopes for astronomy
- 12.5 inch F/9 Truss Ritchey-Chrétien, 12.5 inch F/9 Ritchey-Chrétien
- 14.5 inch Truss Ritchey-Chrétien
- 16 inch F/8.4 Ritchey-Chrétien, 16 inch Truss F/8.4 Ritchey-Chrétien
- 20 inch F/8.1 Ritchey-Chrétien, 20 inch Truss F/8.1 Ritchey-Chrétien
- 24 inch f/8 Truss Ritchey-Chrétien
- 32 inch Truss (81 cm) f/7 Ritchey-Chrétien
Telescopes for ruggedized and military use
- 12.5 inch f/9 Military Ritchey-Chrétien
- 16 inch f.8.4 Military Ritchey-Chrétien
- 20 inch f/8.1 Military Ritchey-Chrétien
- 24 inch f/8 Military Ritchey-Chrétien
- 32 inch f/7 Military Ritchey-Chrétien
- 34 inch f/8 Military Ritchey-Chrétien