News

When PlaneWave’s CEO, Richard Hedrick, was working towards a degree in physics at El Camino College in 1990, he didn’t know attending a talk by El Camino astronomy professor and professional astronomer Perry Hacking would change the course of his life forever.  During his independent study under Dr. Hacking, Richard discovered a passion for astronomy […]

Aloha Astrophotography On the shores of Waipahu, Hawaii, a PlaneWave CDK400 observatory system now rests atop a high school building overlooking Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. As the first telescope installed at a high school in Hawaii, the PlaneWave team was honored to be a part of the school’s historic installation which will […]

Collaborative Satellite Tracking Project Passes First Test at SSC’s Ground Station PlaneWave, along with Baader Planetarium and Andor, has been collaborating with SSC for the development of their satellite tracking ground station over the past year and a half. This development is part of SSC’s Space Situational Awareness (SSA) program which aims to contribute to […]

Nestled into the mountains of North San Diego County rests Palomar Observatory, an iconic center for astronomical research and home to the newest installation of the extraordinary 1-meter telescope from PlaneWave Instruments.   The Palomar Observatory has stood as a competitive mecca for scientific advancement, instrument development, and student training for nearly 100 years, drawing […]

Over the past several months, the PlaneWave team has significantly debated the decision to increase product pricing. It had been our hope that the material cost trends would stabilize and reverse before we had to take action. Unfortunately, the cost of steel, aluminum, optical substrates, electronic components, and even resins has not rewarded such optimism. […]

To learn more about our direct drive mounts for you application please call us at (310)-639-1662 and speak with one of our professional team members today. Why should you use PlaneWave L-series? Whether your goal is astrophotography, research, or satellite tracking, PlaneWave’s L-series mounts come standard with direct drive motors for superior tracking precision and […]

Are you ready to capture APOD quality astro-photographs? We welcome you to join the family of PlaneWave equipment owners, where the focus is on you. PlaneWave offers installation and training services for all of our products, commissioning our systems within 1-2 days onsite, including the 1M-class PW1000. Our experienced technicians are also available to assist […]

The L-series lineup was born out of the dream to create the most versatile and cost-effective direct drive mount. Whether your goal is capturing beautiful astrophotographs that are out of this world, tracking fast moving satellites, or tracking objects that are not in orbit, the L-series will help you reach those goals all while being […]

PlaneWave’s Vertical Integration Helps Ensure Customers Receive Highest Quality Equipment at Affordable Prices PlaneWave Instruments is focused on vertical integration. We have been from the beginning. Our increased capacity, reduced overhead, and manufacturing innovations allow us to create high quality equipment at affordable prices. Design, optical production, fabrication, assembly, and quality control are all performed […]

GREOUX LES BAINS, FRANCE, JUNE 23RD, 2020 – Miratlas SAS and PlaneWave Instruments Inc. announce today their commercial collaboration joining efforts to facilitate site survey, robotic telescope systems, and optical ground station operations. PlaneWave Instruments expertise in both optical and mechanical design since 2006 allowed them to develop over the years a complete range of […]