Dark Sky Discovery Center
Designed. Integrated. Automated.
Sea West provided observatory design consulting, telescope installation, and automation support for the Dark Sky Discovery Center, helping bring the observatory system from concept to operation.
About the observatory
Located in northern Arizona, the Dark Sky Discovery Center was developed to provide a world-class destination for astronomy education, public outreach, and scientific exploration. Designed to inspire visitors through hands-on experiences with advanced astronomical instrumentation, the facility combines modern observatory technology with public engagement spaces to create a unique gateway to the night sky. The observatory’s centerpiece is a PlaneWave CDK700 telescope, providing professional-grade capabilities for imaging, research, and educational programming.
Project Scope
Sea West Observatories was involved with the project from the early planning stages, providing observatory design consulting during the development of the facility. As the observatory layout was being designed, Sea West worked with the project team to ensure the building, pier location, conduit routing, and infrastructure requirements would support the installation and long-term operation of a large-scale research-grade telescope system.
Once construction was complete, Sea West returned to assist with the installation and commissioning of the observatory’s primary instrument, a PlaneWave CDK700 telescope. Due to the size and weight of the system, the telescope was crane lifted into the observatory and carefully positioned onto its mounting system. Following installation, Sea West managed cable routing and organization throughout the observatory, ensuring all power, data, and control connections were properly integrated and protected for reliable long-term operation.
Additional support was provided during the automation phase of the project. Working alongside Paul Gardner, Sea West assisted with dome automation integration and system commissioning to ensure coordinated operation between the telescope, dome, and observatory control systems. The result is a modern observatory capable of supporting public outreach, education, and advanced astronomical observation while maintaining the reliability and functionality expected of a professional-grade facility.
Partners
Sea West worked closely with the Dark Sky Discovery Center team, Paul Gardner, and PlaneWave Instruments throughout the design, installation, and automation phases of the project. Through collaboration between all partners, the observatory was successfully developed into a state-of-the-art facility that will inspire future generations of astronomers and science enthusiasts.
