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| Organization | Department of Physics and Astronomy atUppsala University |
|---|---|
| Observatory code | 049  |
| Location | Bro,Sweden |
| Coordinates | 59°30′06″N17°36′24″E / 59.5016667°N 17.6066667°E /59.5016667; 17.6066667 |
| Established | 1948 |
| Website | www |
  Location of Kvistaberg Observatory | |
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 Related media on Commons | |
TheKvistaberg Station orKvistaberg Observatory (Swedish:Kvistabergs observatorium;obs. code:049) was a Swedishastronomical observatory and a station of theUppsala Astronomical Observatory, which both belong to the Department of Physics and Astronomy atUppsala University. It is located between the Swedish cities ofUppsala andStockholm, at almost equal distance. Since 2009, the domes and telescopes of the Kvistaberg Observatory are part of a museum.
The observatory established a 1-meterSchmidt telescope in 1963, which is a large size for this type of telescope designed to give a wide field of view.[1]
The observatory was the result of a donation in 1944 from Nils Tamm, an artist who had studied astronomy in his youth underNils Christoffer Dunér andÖsten Bergstrand in Uppsala and remained an avid amateur astronomer throughout his life.
Through the work of professorÅke Wallenquist and professorGunnar Malmquist at the observatory in Uppsala, the new observatory was fitted out with a largeSchmidt telescope (100/135/300 cm) in 1963. Wallenquist became the first director of the observatory (1948–1970) and was succeeded byTarmo Oja (1970–1999) and laterClaes-Ingvar Lagerkvist (1999–2007). The asteroid3331 Kvistaberg, was named for the astronomical observatory, where hundreds ofminor planets had been discovered with the Schmidt telescope between 1975 and 2005.[2][3]
Around 2004, Uppsala University decided to discontinue active research at the observatory. The property was sold to the municipality of Upplands-Bro, where Kvistaberg is situated. The domes and telescopes are now part of a museum, which was inaugurated in 2009.[citation needed]
