The student who might discover something.
Public and educational observatories that make real astronomy accessible — and inspire the people who will carry it forward.
Integrated Observatory Solutions
World-class observatories, engineered to achieve first light and beyond.
We design, build, equip, and operate observatories. We handle every detail so you can focus on what matters: The results.
The Moment
When the universe becomes personal.
Somewhere between pressing your eye to the eyepiece and recognizing what you're looking at, something changes. The sky stops being scenery — it becomes a place, real and enormous and suddenly intimate.
Creating that moment is the only thing we care about. Not selling telescopes. Not building domes. Making it possible — for researchers, for students, for anyone who has ever looked up and wondered.
Trusted By
Universities, public institutions, and private clients worldwide.
Who We Build For
For anyone who wants to look deeper.
The experience is the same whether you're a graduate student running a research program or someone who's always wanted their own telescope under a dark sky. We make sure the equipment matches the ambition.
The researcher whose nights matter.
Systems precise enough and reliable enough to build a scientific career around — every clear night, automatically.
The person who wants their own sky.
A private observatory built around exactly what you want to see, where you want to see it, the way you want to observe.
Capabilities
End-to-end observatory expertise.
We are the only single-source partner that handles every phase of an observatory project — from first concept and engineering through equipment outfitting, integration, and ongoing operations.
Observatory Design-Build
Turn-key observatories from concept to commissioning — site assessment, engineered construction plans, pier and foundation design, and full construction management.
Equipment Packages
Curated, pre-integrated bundles built around your science goals. A complete vetted solution.
Advanced System Integration
Precision engineering that makes every component work as one — mounts, optics, cameras, focusers, filter wheels — fully integrated.
Software & Automation
Intelligent observatory control — remote operation, scheduling, and monitoring from anywhere in the world.
Operations & Maintenance
Robotic, remotely operated, and built for 24/7 uptime with automated safety systems and monitoring. Service and maintenance agreements to keep your observatory operating reliably.
Why First Light
The leader in observatory delivery.
Our Footprint
Countless first moments.
Each observatory we've delivered is still active — every clear night, opening the sky for someone who has never seen it like this before.
100+
Observatories Delivered
50+
Years Combined Experience
Our Process
The complete journey, handled.
Seven steps, one accountable partner from concept through ongoing operations. Tap any step to explore it.
Discovery & Vision
We start by understanding your goals, your site, and your science. What do you want to observe? Who will use it? This conversation shapes every decision that follows.
Site Assessment
Sky quality, seeing, access, soil, power. A great system in the wrong place fails. We make sure the site and the instrument are matched before anything is designed.
System Design & Engineering
Observatory architecture, enclosure selection, telescope and instrument specification, automation design, civil engineering — all documented before a tool is picked up.
Construction
Foundation, pier, enclosure, electrical, climate systems. Built for permanence — designed to operate reliably for decades in demanding outdoor conditions.
Equipment Integration
Telescope, mount, cameras, focusers, filter wheels, rotators — installed and aligned by specialists who have done it hundreds of times. Integration, not assembly.
Software & Commissioning
Control software configured, automation tested, remote access enabled, every system verified against your requirements. We don't hand over keys until everything works.
Operations & Support
Remote monitoring, preventive maintenance, software updates, hardware upgrades. We built it — we're the best people to keep it running, for as long as you need it.
Selected Work
Observatories we've delivered.
Private Observatory in California
The First Light team constructed a custom, one-of-a-kind private observatory for a client in California. The observatory has a PlaneWave CDK700 telescope, Ash 16'6" dome, and advanced automation controls.
Bruneau Dunes State Park
The First Light team helped design and build a world-class public outreach observatory. The observatory is outfitted with a PlaneWave CDK700, Ash 20'6" dome, automation controls, and dome projector system.
Cook Observatory
First Light built this private observatory to meet the needs of a client interested in both visual observing and astrophotography. The observatory includes a PlaneWave CDK600 telescope, Ash 14'6" dome, and fully autonomous observatory management system.
Latest News
What we're up to.
Site visit and feasibility study
Two new Montana observatories planned, to be outfitted with PlaneWave CDK1000 and PF1000 telescopes for advanced research and public outreach.
Montana observatory commissioned with industry-first PlaneWave 1000 Series Gimbal
Advanced research installation featuring four PlaneWave CDK17 telescopes, each outfitted with adaptive optics and multiple camera sensors.
International Dark Sky Discovery Center observatory commissioned
PlaneWave CDK700 with ADA-accessible eyepiece periscope and fully autonomous Observatory Management System now operating in Fountain Hills, AZ.
How We Work
We take the whole thing off your plate.
Most companies sell you pieces and wish you well. We take responsibility for the finished result — one team, coordinating everything from the permit to the first image.
You don't manage subcontractors, track deliveries, or troubleshoot integration issues at 11pm. We do. That's not a service level. It's how we believe this should be done.
Our Partners
A team effort.
First Light Astronomy brings together four specialist firms — each the best in their discipline — to deliver world-class observatory experiences.
Design & Architecture
Renowned observatory architectural design — Conceptual Design, Design Development, and Construction Documentation with fully engineered plan sets.
Construction
Expert observatory construction — foundations, domes, MEP, and structural systems for any site and scale.
Systems Engineering
Precision systems integration — telescope, mount, camera, and ancillary equipment engineered to work together as one seamless instrument.
Software & Automation
Professional observatory control software — remote operations, intelligent scheduling, safety automation, and real-time monitoring.
For Institutions
Universities, colleges, and research programs.
We've built observatories for educational programs at every level — multi-user systems designed for decades of operation, supported by the kind of partnership that keeps a program running and improving year after year.
Multi-user systems engineered for cohort-after-cohort reliability.
Procurement and compliance support for institutional requirements.
Curriculum-aligned commissioning and student training programs.
Long-term service agreements that grow with your program.
Equipment & Outfitting
The same gear we trust on our own builds — available to you.
The First Light shop gives observatory operators, researchers, and enthusiasts direct access to vetted, professional-grade equipment with expert technical support behind every order.
Start Your Project
Let's design your observatory.
Whether you're outfitting a private observatory, modernizing a university observatory, or programming a national research facility — First Light Astronomy is the partner who can take it from blueprint to first light.