KiwiStar Optics is a specialist optics design and manufacturing company which produces custom solutions for the following markets

• astronomy,
• instrumentation,
• defence and surveillance.

Custom Solutions

KiwiStar are experts in designing optics and performing systems integration for extremely complex optical systems up to 1.8 metres in diameter. With our extensive experience in developing, manufacturing, and installing systems for a wide range of environments and applications we can develop a solution to meet your needs.
  
Échelle Spectrgraphs

KiwiStar is developing its latest range of Fibre Fed, High Resolution Échelle Spectrographs for small to medium sized telescopes (1m to 4 m).

With a wavelength coverage of 350 nm to 1000 nm, resolving powers from 30k to 100k and a compact design, KiwiSpec, Model R4-100, is designed with precision radial velocity measurements in mind.

KiwiStar also offers a larger Fibre Fed, High Resolution Échelle Spectrograph, Model R2-200, based on the HERULES Spectrograph which has been in successful operation at New Zealand’s Mt John Observatory since April 2001.

R2-200 Brochure (PDF 220 KB)

Recent Projects

Recent projects that KiwiStar has completed include:

1. Manufacture of optical components (including the large cross-dispersion prism) for the Hercules high-resolution spectrograph at the 1m McLellan Telescope at the Mt John University Observatory in New Zealand
    
2. Manufacture of the optical elements, design and manufacture of the housing, and assembly and alignment of a 580mm aperture, 3-element Prime Focus Corrector for the FMOS instrument installed on the Subaru Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
    
3. Manufacture of the 540mm aperture, 4-element Prime Focus Corrector for the 1.8 metre MOA Telescope, recently commissioned at the Mt John University Observatory. KiwiStar Optics were also responsible for the optical design of this telescope.
    
4. Manufacture of the optical elements for a large-aperture (620mm) precision navigation beacon installed at the Diego Garcia US Naval Base in the Indian Ocean.
    
5. Manufacture of optical and mechanical components and assembly and test of a 3-element Prime Focus Corrector for the SkyMapper Telescope, to be installed at Mt Stromlo Observatory, Australia.
    
6. Manufacture of a very fast, wide field of view, finite conjugate camera for a proton radiography experiment at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA.
    
7. Manufacture of the optical elements and design, manufacture and integration of the housing for a focal reducer for the SALT telescope, South Africa.