Crafting the Universe's Clearest View
Bespoke Optical Instruments for Scientific Discovery and Astronomical Passion.
Explore Our CraftA Vision of Precision
Founded by former aerospace engineers with a lifelong passion for astronomy, Celestial Lens Co. was born from a desire to push the boundaries of optical perfection. We bridge the gap between theoretical design and tangible reality, creating instruments that not only perform but inspire.
Our journey began in a modest Vancouver workshop, fueled by late nights under the Pacific Northwest skies and a shared obsession with resolving distant cosmic wonders. Today, from our state-of-the-art facility in Richmond, BC, we continue that tradition, delivering unparalleled optical solutions to observatories, research institutions, and the most discerning astrophotographers worldwide.
Every lens, every mirror, every instrument that leaves our facility is a testament to our dedication to absolute precision and the profound beauty of scientific exploration.
Uncompromising Precision
Our work is defined by sub-nanometer accuracy and meticulous attention to detail. We ensure every surface figure meets the most rigorous scientific specifications, pushing the very limits of what's optically possible.
Collaborative Innovation
We partner closely with our clients, transforming ambitious theoretical concepts into tangible, high-performing optical realities. Your vision, engineered with our expertise.
Enduring Quality
We don't just build instruments; we craft legacies. Our products are designed for generations of discovery, built with materials and techniques meant to withstand the test of time and countless scientific observations.
Our Spectrum of Services
Custom Telescope Fabrication
From concept to cosmos. We design and build Ritchey-Chrétien, Dall-Kirkham, and apochromatic refractor telescopes tailored to your specific research or observational needs. Our process involves meticulous optical design using ZEMAX OpticStudio, precision machining of components, and integration of cutting-edge materials like Zerodur or fused silica for thermal stability. Each instrument is assembled and collimated in our controlled environment ensuring optimal performance under demanding conditions.
Whether for deep-sky imaging, planetary observation, or advanced astrophysical research, our bespoke telescopes deliver uncompromising image quality and mechanical stability, allowing you to capture the universe's subtleties with unparalleled clarity.
Custom Telescope Fabrication
From concept to cosmos. We design and build Ritchey-Chrétien, Dall-Kirkham, and apochromatic refractor telescopes tailored to your specific research or observational needs. Our process involves meticulous optical design using ZEMAX OpticStudio, precision machining of components, and integration of cutting-edge materials like Zerodur or fused silica for thermal stability. Each instrument is assembled and collimated in our controlled environment ensuring optimal performance under demanding conditions.
Whether for deep-sky imaging, planetary observation, or advanced astrophysical research, our bespoke telescopes deliver uncompromising image quality and mechanical stability, allowing you to capture the universe's subtleties with unparalleled clarity.
Advanced Optical Coatings
Enhancing light transmission and durability. We apply proprietary multi-layer anti-reflection (AR), dielectric, and protected metallic coatings using ion-assisted deposition in a cleanroom environment. Our advanced sputtering techniques allow for precise control over layer thickness and material composition, yielding coatings optimized for specific spectral ranges—from UV to mid-IR. This significantly reduces losses from reflection and boosts the overall efficiency and contrast of your optical system.
We also offer durable hydrophobic and oleophobic top layers for easy cleaning and protection against environmental contaminants, ensuring long-term performance even in challenging outdoor observatory settings.
Instrument Repair & Restoration
Breathing new life into legacy instruments. Our experts meticulously restore antique and modern astronomical hardware, from re-figuring mirrors to mechanical overhauls. We specialize in preserving the original character of vintage telescopes while bringing their optical performance up to modern standards. This includes disassembling, cleaning, and repairing delicate mechanisms, sourcing or fabricating replacement parts, and expertly re-coating aged optics to restore their original brilliance.
Whether it's a valuable heirloom refractor or a scientific instrument critical to ongoing research, we approach each restoration with the utmost care, ensuring both aesthetic fidelity and renewed functionality for years of continued enjoyment or study.
Bespoke Eyepiece Crafting
The final, critical link. We craft custom eyepieces with specific focal lengths, apparent fields of view, and eye relief, designed to perfectly match your instrument and observing style. Our eyepieces are engineered for maximum comfort and an immersive viewing experience, utilizing advanced lens designs and superior glass elements to deliver edge-to-edge sharpness and exceptional contrast. Each lens element is precisely ground, polished, and fully multi-coated to minimize internal reflections and maximize light throughput.
Choose from a range of designs including Nagler, Ethos, and proprietary configurations, ensuring your optical train is perfectly harmonized for visual astronomy or astrophotography. Experience the universe through an eyepiece as unique as your vision.
From Concept to First Light: Our Method
Consultation & Optical Design
We begin with a deep dive into your requirements, followed by rigorous optical modeling and simulation in ZEMAX OpticStudio® to define the perfect design. This iterative process ensures every parameter is optimized for your desired performance specifications.
Grinding & Polishing
Substrate blanks are first shaped by advanced CNC machines, then undergo computer-controlled polishing and meticulous hand-finishing to achieve the specified surface figure with nanometer-level precision and minimal subsurface damage.
Interferometric Metrology
At every critical stage, the optical surface is measured using a Zygo interferometer to generate high-resolution surface maps. This closed-loop feedback ensures we consistently meet or exceed the most stringent specifications for wavefront accuracy.
Coating & Assembly
Optical elements are coated in our Class 1000 cleanroom. Final assembly and precise collimation are performed in an environmentally controlled chamber to guarantee peak optical performance and reliable mechanical integrity.
The Heart of Our Craft: Our Workshop
Zygo Verifire Interferometer
For non-contact measurement of surface form and transmitted wavefront with picometer-level precision. This instrument is crucial for verifying the ultra-smoothness and precise curvature of our large mirrors and critical lens elements.
Leybold HELIOS Sputtering System
For depositing highly uniform, durable, and complex multi-layer optical coatings on a variety of substrates. Our advanced Leybold system allows us to create bespoke coatings for any spectral range and application, from enhanced aluminum to super-broadband anti-reflection layers.
QED Q-flex MRF Polisher
Magnetorheological finishing for deterministic, ultra-precise final correction of complex optical surfaces. The QED MRF system allows us to correct surface errors down to a fraction of a wave, ensuring astigmatism-free performance for the most demanding optics.
Class 1000 Cleanroom
A certified cleanroom environment ensuring all coating and final assembly processes are free from particle contamination. This meticulously controlled atmosphere is critical for preventing defects that could compromise the performance of ultra-precision optics.
Bringing the Cosmos into Focus
Project: TRIUMF 1.2m Primary Mirror
Fabricated a 1.2-meter lightweighted Zerodur® primary mirror for a new research telescope at Canada's national particle accelerator centre, achieving a surface accuracy of λ/40 peak-to-valley. This mirror is a cornerstone of their cosmic ray and dark matter research programs, providing unprecedented resolution and sensitivity.
Our extensive metrology and polishing expertise were critical to meet the stringent specifications required for ground-based astronomical observations where atmospheric distortion is a constant challenge. The resulting optical surface will enable TRIUMF to push the boundaries of high-energy astrophysics.
Project: 1910 Clark Refractor Restoration
A complete historical restoration of a magnificent 12-inch Clark refractor telescope from 1910, including re-polishing the objective lens to modern optical standards and meticulously rebuilding its original brass mechanics to a pristine, fully functional state. Our team worked to preserve its historical integrity while ensuring it could once again deliver breathtaking views.
This project involved careful analysis of original blueprints, reverse-engineering worn parts, and applying period-appropriate finishing techniques. The telescope now resides in a private observatory, a working piece of astronomical heritage。
Project: Custom Deep-Sky Eyepiece Set
Designed and crafted a specialized set of five wide-field eyepieces for a private observatory, specifically optimized for deep-sky observation of nebulae and distant galaxies with maximum light transmission and minimal aberrations. Each eyepiece was fully multicoated with our proprietary dielectric layers.
This set features specific focal lengths chosen to pair perfectly with the client's f/4.5 Newtonian reflector, providing an unparalleled immersive viewing experience and exceptionally dark sky backgrounds, revealing faint details previously unseen.
Begin Your Optical Journey
Let's Collaborate
We are ready to discuss the unique challenges and requirements of your next project. Reach out to our team to schedule a technical consultation. From initial concept validation to detailed design reviews, our experts are here to guide you every step of the way to realize your ambitious optical vision.
Our Location
789 Stellar Road, Unit 12B,
Richmond, BC, V6Y 1C3, Canada
Call Us
(604) 555-0187