The PlaneWave 1.5-Meter Telescope is a high-performance, complete 1.5-meter observatory-class telescope featuring a direct drive altitude-azimuth (Alt-Az) mounting system designed and engineered by PlaneWave.

• Light-weighted Primary-Mirror for faster cooling and an overall lighter weight telescope compared to comparable scopes
• Minimal observatory footprint; can be housed in a dome as small as 20 feet
• < 10” RMS pointing accuracy, full sky
• High-quality 5-10 minute unguided exposures
• Dual Nasmyth-Focus Ports with rotating Tertiary-Mirror

OPTICAL DESIGN

• Fast Primary Mirror Focal-length for overall compact design
• Comfortably fits within 20′ dome
• Primary Mirror Focal Ratio between f/2.3 and f/2.5 (TBD, in development)
• Available in Ritchey-Chretien (f/9 or f/5 with reducer), prime-focus f/2.2, or afocal optical design
• Dual Nasmyth-Focus Ports with rotating Tertiary-Mirror
• Coudѐ path compatibility for one Nasmyth Port, with 5” beam diameter
• Secondary-Mirror focusing using a high-precision Hexapod

MECHANICAL

• Light-Weighted Ultra-Low Expansion Primary Mirror for exceptional thermal stability
• Wiffle-Tree Floatation Point Primary-Mirror Cell
• Robotic Primary-Mirror Covers
• Primary-Mirror removal and lifting systems

MOUNT

• Altitude-Azimuth Direct-Drive Design with Slew-Ring Azimuth Bearing
• Torsion-box and Space-Frame design, similar to the PW1000
• Absolute On-Axis Encoders

SOFTWARE

• PWI4 Integrated Telescope Control Software
• Automated pointing modeling, using PointXP
• Robotic pointing and tracking control (sidereal and non-sidereal rates)
• Robotic focusing, de-rotation, fan and dew-heater control
• HTTP API interface, and available for Windows and LINUX platforms