ASA 14.5 inch f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien primary mirror

Product Description

Rare ASA (Astrosysteme Austria) 14.5″ f/8 Ritchey-Chrétien Primary Mirror Assembly – Observatory Surplus

This is a rare, observatory-grade Ritchey-Chrétien primary mirror assembly manufactured by ASA (Astrosysteme Austria / Astro Systeme America Inc.). Originally part of a high-performance f/8 optical system at a historic California observatory, this assembly features a low-expansion Sitall (ceramic glass) meniscus mirror permanently mounted in a precision aluminum cell with integrated active cooling. A genuine piece of professional astronomy heritage, ready to form the core of an elite telescope build.

Key Specifications:

• Manufacturer: ASA (Astrosysteme Austria / Astro Systeme America Inc.)

• Mirror Substrate: Sitall low-expansion ceramic (excellent thermal stability)

• Physical Diameter: 14.5 inches (368 mm)

• Optical Design: Ritchey-Chrétien primary optimized for an f/8 system

• Effective Aperture: ~14 inches

• Included Cell: Custom black anodized aluminum cell with three integrated Sanyo Denki Ace 25 DC brushless fans for active rear-surface cooling

• Condition: Excellent observatory surplus – reflective surface clean, no visible damage; fans operational (12V)

Why This Assembly Is Exceptional:

• Professional Provenance: Built by ASA, a leader in premium astronomical optics, and used in a working observatory.

• Thermal Excellence: The Sitall substrate combined with active cooling ensures rapid thermal equilibrium and minimal seeing disturbance.

• Complete, Ready-to-Integrate: Mirror is permanently and correctly mounted in its engineered cell, saving significant fabrication and alignment effort.

Applications:

• High-End Ritchey-Chrétien Telescope Build: The perfect foundation for building a premium f/8 RC telescope (requires matching secondary, baffles, and tube assembly).

• High-Resolution Imaging: Ideal for planetary, lunar, and narrow-field deep-sky astrophotography.

• Research & Education: For university astronomy programs, observatory upgrades, or advanced optical experiments.

• Professional Observatory Use: As a spare or upgrade for existing ASA or compatible systems.

Note:

This is the primary mirror assembly only. To complete a functional Ritchey-Chrétien telescope, you will need a matched secondary mirror, baffling, a rigid tube, and a suitable mount. The f/8 system focal length will be approximately 2944 mm (116 inches) when paired with the correct secondary.