Best 4 Ritchey-Chretien Telescopes On The Market In 2022 Reviews
Have you been looking for a Ritchey-Chretien telescope?
Are you having trouble deciding which one is the best choice?
In this post, you will find all the important information about the best four Ritchey-Chretien telescopes on the market. Find out what they are, how they work and find my advice on which one I believe is the best choice.
Things You Need To Know Before You Purchase A Ritchey-Chretien Telescope
What Is A Ritchey-Chretien Telescope?
Ritchey-Chretien telescope, otherwise known as RCT or RC, is a professional telescope that comes with many outstanding features. It is the perfect choice for everyone who wants to prosper in the astrophotography field. Combined with large CCD cameras this telescope can provide you with the most beautiful images of the night sky.
How Does It Work?
Ritchey-Chretien telescope works by using a specially made hyperbolic primary and secondary mirror that is designed to obviate specific errors such as coma. Compared to other reflecting telescope configurations, the Ritchey-Chretien telescope will provide a much wider field of view that is clear of any optical errors that cause damage to the image of the object you are observing.
What Are The Advantages Of Ritchey-Chretien Telescopes?
Just like all other telescopes on the market, the Ritchey-Chretien telescopes also offer many beneficial features. For example, they come with hyperbolic mirrors, feature a fully baffled design which ensures that the stray light does not interfere with the image you see, provide you with a high-quality contrast, don’t have a corrector plate, feature coma-free optics, etc.
What Is The Best Ritchey-Chretien Telescope Brand?
As the best Ritchey-Chretien telescope brand I would single out the Orion brand. Orion offers a wide range of Ritchey-Chretien telescopes that come with different apertures and many beneficial features I listed above. Also, you can find all of their models on Amazon and see the reviews of the customers that purchased their telescope.
Best 4 Ritchey-Chretien Telescopes On The Market
Best 6-Inch RC Telescope
Orion Ritchey-Chretien 6 inch f/9 Optical Tube
Perfect For Astrophotography
This 6-inch RC telescope is the perfect choice if you want to pursuit astrophotography on a more professional level. It is compatible with both CCD cameras and a DSLR to ensure that you get the most beautiful images of the different celestial objects.
Hyperbolic Optics
Another great thing about this 6-inch RC telescope is that it features a hyperbolic optics system. That means that it has both a parabolic primary and secondary mirror. Combined together these mirrors provide a high-quality flat image of the object you are observing.
137mm Focal Length
This 6-inch RC telescope features a 137mm focal length. Thanks to that feature you will be able to observe small and medium deep-sky objects. It won’t provide you with an extra wide-field but you will be able to catch smaller planetary nebulae and different star clusters.
Fully Baffled Design
The best thing about this 6-inch RC telescope is that it comes with a fully baffled design that goes all the way down the length of this telescope’s optical tube. Thanks to that feature you can be sure that this telescope will provide you with the most beautiful high contrast view of the observed object.
No Corrector Lens
This 6-inch RC telescope comes with another great feature. It does not have a corrector lens like most of the standard telescopes do. That means that you never have to worry about dew that usually accumulates on the corrector plate when you use a telescope in moist conditions.
- six-inch aperture
- hyperbolic mirrors
- improved aluminum coatings
- completely portable
- focus extension rings
Best 8-Inch RC Telescope
Orion 08267 Ritchey-Chretien 8 inch F/8 Optical Tube
Specialized Astrograph
This 8-inch RC telescope is specially designed to provide you with a very flat field without any coma that usually causes damage to the image of the object you are observing. It is the perfect choice for observing medium size galaxies and nebulae and capturing photographs with a DSLR or a CCD camera.
Hyperbolic Design
Another great thing about this 8-inch RC telescope is that it doesn’t come with a corrector plate so you never have to worry about the dew getting caught on the telescope. Instead, this telescope comes with hyperbolic mirrors that corrects all aberrations that a corrector plate usually corrects.
Highly Reflective Mirrors
The mirrors of this 8-inch RC telescope are highly reflective, more specifically they offer ninety-six percent of improved reflectivity. Because of that feature, you can be sure that this telescope will have a very good light output through its entire system providing you with the most beautiful images of the object you are observing.
Wide Dovetail Bottom
The best thing about this 8-inch RC telescope is that it comes with a wide Losmandy-style dovetail bottom. That means that there is no need for you to purchase a specific tripod. You will be able to mount this optical tube on any tripod that uses a dovetail bar.
Rotatable Focuser
This 8-inch RC telescope comes with a two-inch rotatable Crawford style focuser. To rotate it you only need to unlock the collar and you can rotate it in any direction you want to get that perfect picture. Once you find that perfect position you need to lock down the focuser again.
- eight-inch aperture
- 96% enhanced reflectivity
- dual speed Crawford focuser
- three focus extension rings
- no corrector plate
Best 10-Inch RC Telescope
Orion 08266 Ritchey-Chretien 10 inch f/8 Optical Tube
Coma-Free Optics
This 10-inch RC telescope is specially designed to provide you with a virtually coma-free optic system that ensures the most beautiful view of the observed objects. Thanks to this feature you can use this telescope to observe even the faintest deep-sky objects that surround us.
Hyperbolic Mirrors
Another great thing about this 10-inch RC telescope is that it features high-quality hyperbolic mirrors that are specially made out of quarts optical glass. The glass ensures improved reflectivity of ninety-six percent providing you with the perfect images of the observed object.
Internal Light Baffles
This 10-inch RC telescope also comes with internal light baffles that are specially positioned all the way down the optical tube. Because of that feature, you can be sure that this telescope will provide the perfect bright and high-quality contrast images.
Three Cooling Fans
The best thing about this 10-inch RC telescope is that it comes with three 1.5 inch DC cooling fans. The fans are specifically placed in the rear cell to ensure that they reduce the time that a telescope requires to cool down. Thanks to that feature the telescope will reach the thermal equilibrium much faster.
Losmandy-Style Dovetail Plates
This 10-inch RC telescope also comes with two wide Losmany-style dovetail plates, one on the bottom, and one on the top of the optical tube. That means that you will be able to easily attach this telescope on a tripod or add additional accessories.
- ten-inch aperture
- rotatable Crayford focuser
- wide-format dovetail bar
- cooling fans
Best Ritchey Chretien Astrograph
Orion 12″ Truss Tube Ritchey-Chretien Astrograph
Premium Optics
This Ritchey Chretien astrograph telescope features a premium optics system that is specially designed from the highest-quality quartz material. Thanks to that feature you can be sure that this telescope will provide you with the most beautiful view of the objects you are observing.
Thermally Stable Design
The best thing about this Ritchey Chretien astrograph telescope is that it offers a thermally stable design. That means that this telescope is specially made to minimize the possibility of the focus shift that often happens due to the different temperature changes.
Quick CoolingÂ
Another great thing about this Ritchey Chretien astrograph telescope is that it provides a quick cooling system. It comes equipped with three DC cooling fans that are located on the rear cell of the telescope. Also, the cooling will be that much faster because of the open tube design.
D-Style Mounting Bars
This Ritchey Chretien astrograph telescope features d-style mounting bars on both the bottom and the top side of the optical tube. It also comes with a dovetail finder scope base that allows you to attach any Orion finder scope. Note that the finder scope does not come included with this telescope.
Additional Accessories
You can be sure that this Ritchey Chretien astrograph telescope includes everything you need for the best observing experience. It comes with three extension rings, and mirror dust covers to ensure that nothing affects the quality of the image that the telescope provides.
- twelve-inch aperture
- thermally stable design
- hyperboloid mirrors
- D-style dovetail mounting bars
- dovetail finder scope base
Conclusion: The Best Ritchey-Chretien Telescope On The Market Is…
In my opinion, the best Ritchey-Chretien telescope on the market is Orion 08266 Ritchey-Chretien 10 inch f/8 Optical Tube. Thanks to its hyperbolic mirrors it ensures a wide flat virtually coma-free image of the object you are observing. It also has three cooling fans an internal light baffles that are specially designed to keep any stray light away from the telescope and to provide you with beautiful contrast.
If you are interested in learning more about the top refracting telescopes and the best Dobsonian telescopes on the market read this post about the top telescopes for sale and find a telescope that fits your needs the most.