Office of the Governor
For Immediate Release:  Monday, April 29, 2002
For More Information:  Bob Mercer or Mike Mueller, 773-3212

Janklow Meets with the Discoverer of the Asteroid "South Dakota"

Pierre -- Now there are two "South Dakotas" whirling through the universe. On Monday, the man who discovered the asteroid "South Dakota" met with Gov. Bill Janklow at the state Capitol in Pierre. 

Gov. Bill Janklow met with Ron Dyvig, director and owner of Badlands Observatory at the Capitol on Monday.  Pictured (from l to r): Dyvig, Gov. Janklow, and Dr. Sherry Farwell and Tom Durkin from the SD School of Mines and Technology.

Ron Dyvig, director and owner of Badlands Observatory at Quinn, S.D., was joined by Dr. Sherry Farwell and Tom Durkin from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in presenting the Governor with information about the asteroid, which is about three miles in diameter and located safely between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter at a distance of about 180 million miles. It is one of 24 main-belt asteroids discovered at the Badlands Observatory. 

Below is an explanation provided by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium:

An asteroid named "#26715 SOUTH DAKOTA" was recently discovered by Ron Dyvig, director and owner of Badlands Observatory located in Quinn, S.D.  The Committee for Small Bodies Nomenclature of the International Astronomical Union approved the name suggested by Mr. Dyvig during its March 2002 meeting.  This asteroid is among a dozen other asteroids named after states in the U.S., announced Dr. Sherry Farwell, director of the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium.  "The dark skies in western South Dakota, combined with Ron Dyvig's extremely sensitive research-grade telescope, places Badlands Observatory in the company of some of the world's best astronomical research facilities.  We are very fortunate to have Badlands Observatory as an affiliate of our Space Grant Consortium,” he said.

Mr. Dyvig discovered the asteroid on April 16, 2001 with his telescope that is host to a 26" diameter mirror, the largest telescope in the local three-state area. It has been used since January 2001 to search for new asteroids as well as to participate in the goals of the international Spaceguard Foundation.  Participating observatories around the world are cataloguing all of the near-Earth objects (NEO’s) that may represent a global impact hazard to the Earth.  An asteroid impact event on Earth is believed to be related to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.  However, #26715 SOUTH DAKOTA poses no impact hazard because it is a main belt asteroid located safely between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter at a distance of about 180 million miles.  It is approximately 3 miles in diameter.  As of this date, 24 additional main belt asteroids have been discovered at Badlands Observatory, but #26715 SOUTH DAKOTA is the first of these to receive permanent-named status.

For more information, please contact Ron Dyvig at Badlands Observatory 605-386-2105, Tom Durkin at S.D. Space Grant Consortium at 605-394-1975, or visit the web at www.sdsmt.edu/space/bo.htm 

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