IDAstro: Collaborative Research and Outreach

Bruneau Dunes State Park holds Idaho’s largest public telescope, a 27.5-inch reflector. Located 60 miles south of Boise, the park attracts over 10,000 visitors each year to its public viewing programs. Universities across southern Idaho are collaborating to utilize the telescope, originally used for outreach, for astrophysical research. IDAstro is a partnership funded by NSF between Bruneau Dunes State Park, Boise State University, The College of Idaho, The College of Southern Idaho, and The College of Western Idaho to unite students, faculty, and park staff for public engagement and observational research. 

During the 2025 observing season, students from partner institutions contributed to public programs at the park through telescope operation, guided stargazing events, and scorpion walks. This project supports many research topics, including variable Be star spectroscopy, galactic star formation, small body occultations, and exoplanet transit photometry. Over the summer, we observed exoplanet transits of HAT-P-37 b and HAT-P-36 b, as well as photometric monitoring of the stars V346 Ori, V844 Her, and SS Cyg. This collaboration will enable the next generation of Idaho students and researchers to conduct astronomical observations while expanding public interest in astronomy.