Public Nights

Due to some enthusiastic student volunteers, we are able to offer Public Nights at the Macalester Observatory this summer!  Public nights will be held on Monday evenings through December 10th, from 8:00 p.m. – 11:00pm, during which our 16-inch telescope will be open for viewing and education (weather permitting).  Public Nights is an ongoing student-run event which allows the greater Macalester College community to take advantage of the college’s science-grade observatory.

For weather updates, cancellations or other amendments to this schedule, please refer to the Macalester Public Observing Nights Facebook group page at https://www.facebook.com/MacObserving/.

Weather permitting, potential targets include the Moon, Mars, Saturn, other planets, globular clusters, star clusters, binary star systems, galaxies, and planetary nebulae. In the case of cloudy skies, poor visibility, or precipitation, we will not be able to open the dome for observing; however, if you would still like to see the facilities and chat about the universe, our astronomy students will be present to show the dome and answer questions. Hope to see you there!

To access the telescope, enter Olin Rice Hall via either of the NORTH entrances on the NORTH side of the building,  and take the stairs or service elevator on the SOUTHWEST side of the building up to the fourth floor. Enter the first room on the left — you will see a spiral staircase. Ascend the spiral staircase to the roof. The dome is only accessible by this staircase.