Macalester College Observatory
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Macalester College Observatory is a teaching and research facility on the campus of Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
About Macalester College Observatory
The observatory belongs to Macalester College, a private liberal arts college founded in 1874 with Scottish and Presbyterian roots. Macalester is known for its emphasis on internationalism, multiculturalism, and service, and today enrolls just over two thousand undergraduate students.
Telescopes & research
The observatory is run by the college's physics department as a teaching and research facility, giving students hands-on experience with astronomical observation as part of their coursework.
Location & getting there
The observatory sits on Macalester's 60-acre main campus in Saint Paul, Minnesota, bordered by Summit Avenue to the north and St. Clair Avenue to the south — an urban campus setting in the heart of the Twin Cities.
Visiting Macalester College Observatory
As a campus facility tied to the physics department's teaching schedule, access is generally organised around classes and college events rather than general public opening hours. Check the college's official observatory page for any public open nights before visiting.
See your named star from here
A teaching observatory like this is exactly the kind of place where a named star's coordinates come to life: physics students and staff can direct a telescope at any right ascension and declination, including one from Star Register. Name a star and find its listing in our catalogue.
Opening hours and public-visit programs vary by season. Check the official website and Google Maps for current times before you travel.
