🔭 Badlands Observatory

The Badlands Observatory (IAU code 918) is an astronomical observatory named after the Badlands National Park, located in Quinn, South Dakota, United States, near the city of Wall. The observatory was established in 2000 by American amateur astronomer Ron Dyvig, who was affiliated with the Optical Sciences Center and Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona. While there, he occasionally participated in observing runs using the telescopes on Kitt Peak. Kitt Peak Observatory As of November 2016, a total of 25 numbered minor planets were discovered at the observatory. The Minor Planet Center credits these discoveries to Ron Dyvig and to the observatory, respectively. The main-belt asteroid (315495) 2008 AQ3 was discovered by Italian amateur astronomer Fabrizio Tozzi while using the Badlands Observatory telescope remotely via the Internet in 2008. Asteroid 26715 South Dakota, discovered by Ron Dyvig in 2001, is named after the U.S. state where the Badlands observatory is located.