PlaneWave CDK700 Observatory System

PlaneWave Instruments brings a fully automated observatory class telescope to the market with the CDK700, a 0.7 meter Alt-Az telescope system. We are combining the revolutionary CDK optical design that founded PlaneWave Instruments with an innovative direct-drive alt/az mount technology that sets a new standard for small observatory telescopes.

• f/6.5 and 4540mm focal length providing pinpoint stars across a 70mm image circle.
• No coma, no off-axis astigmatism, and no field curvature.
• Compact Alt/Az design with dual Nasmyth ports allowing multiple instrumentation payloads to be installed on the telescope.
• Integrated direct drive mount with optical encoders, zero periodic error, zero backlash, and minimal maintenance due to the lack of gears.
• Slew speeds up to 50 degrees/sec for satellite tracking and fast target acquisition.
• Fast 1 day installation and on-sky taking images that same night (weather dependent).

An alt/az mount is inherently more stable than an equatorial mount since there is no cantilevered mass, nor are there any large protruding counterweights to create a dangerous hazard in a public observatory. An alt/az telescope is also considerably more compact than its equatorial counterpart, allowing a larger telescope to fit in a smaller enclosure. The mass it takes to make a rigid alt/az mount is substantially less, leading to cost savings. Unlike German Equatorial mounts, there are no meridian flips to deal with. You can image from horizon to horizon continuously if desired. Alt/Az is more intuitive to use and no polar alignment is needed. Besides, it is the way the professionals do it!

Benefits of Nasmyth Focus
The Nasmyth Focus is along the altitude axis so there are virtually no balancing issue as you change out equipment. Eyepieces remain at a constant wheelchair-accessible height, greatly simplifying access to the telescope for public observatories. The rotating tertiary mirror allows you to switch from one Nasmyth port to the other in just seconds, allowing observers to easily transition between imaging and visual use.

 
Rotating Tertiary Mirror
The CDK700 includes an integrated rotator for the tertiary mirror, with magnetic locks to position the mirror precisely for either Nasmyth focus position. The rotator can move from one port to the other in under 10 seconds. Checkout the tertiary mirror video here.

 
Direct drive motors and encoders
Direct Drive motors mean that there are no gears to cause backlash and periodic error. With high-resolution encoders providing the feedback for the direct drive motors, not only will the telescope track without periodic error or have any backlash at all, but the mount will be able to counter against wind gusts. The direct drive motors can move the telescope at incredible speeds for tracking satellites or just to minimize target acquisition time.

 
CDK Optical Design:
The CDK (Corrected Dall-Kirkham) Optical Design is an innovative solution for unsurpassed astroimaging quality at an affordable price. The CDK telescope design provides excellent imaging with large format CCD cameras while remaining superb for visual use. The CDK design far exceeds the off-axis performance of most commercial telescope designs including the Ritchey-Chrétien design.

Our design produces a flat, coma free and astigmatic free field of view. Since the secondary mirror is spherical, centering is very forgiving. This means it is easy to get the telescope optics aligned for optimum performance, which is not the case for most high-end astrographs. The end result at the image plane of the CDK design is no off-axis coma, no off-axis astigmatism, and a perfectly flat field all the way out to the edge of a 70mm image circle.  All this means that the stars will be pinpoints from the center of the field of view out to the corner of the field of view.