PlaneWave Instruments

PlaneWave Instruments, global leader in the design and manufacture of high-tech observatory-class telescopes, is excited to announce its first Science Expo. Coupled with a campus open house, the event will take place on October 1-2, 2022, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, at PlaneWave’s headquarters in Adrian, MI. The Expo will feature a variety of demonstrations, displays, talks, and experiences demonstrating remarkable scientific accomplishments and processes.

“We want to give back to the community that has welcomed us by providing a space where art, music, sports, science, and technology can grow and harmonize,” explained Richard Hedrick, President and CEO of PlaneWave Instruments.

During the event, guests can tour PlaneWave’s manufacturing facilities, Adrian Center for the Arts’ facilities, and the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute–all of which reside on PlaneWave’s 57-acre campus. Staff and volunteers from all three organizations will be available to answer questions and explain processes.

PlaneWave Talks will include presentations about telescopes, astrophotography, robotics, the PlaneWave origin story, the Adrian Center for the Arts, the future of the PlaneWave campus, and more.  Special presentations will be held by guest speakers Rachel Freed, from the Institute for Student Astronomical Research (InStAR), and Michelle Nichols, Director of Public Observing for the Adler Observatory and Planetarium in Chicago.

“The PlaneWave team is so appreciative of the warm reception we received after our move from California in 2019.  We are proud of our campus and our campus partners and are looking forward to hosting this event for our community,” said Hedrick.

The event will also feature a “to-scale” campus walkthrough of the solar system, food trucks, and live music on Saturday evening, a make-it-take-it tent for younger attendees, a solar telescope for daytime viewing, and weather permitting nighttime observing. Guests can test the physics of flight at the new disc golf course and view the entire line of PlaneWave telescopes, including a telescope designed for laser communication that NASA recently purchased.

The Campus Open House and Science Expo is completely free, including parking and shuttle service from the LISD Tech Center and Jackson College parking lots on North Main Street. For more information on the event, visit the PlaneWave Facebook page or website at PlaneWave.com.