The Minnesota Astronomical Society (MAS) began in 1972, known at the time as the Twin Cities Astronomy Club. The MAS currently has five observing sites centered around the Twin Cities metro area. The Eagle Lake Observatory located in Carver County Baylor Regional Park, houses more than a dozen telescopes on four observing platforms available for use by our more than 400 members and public outreach. The site consists of the Onan Observatory, the Sylvia A. Casby Observatory and the HotSpot Classroom. The observatory is open to the public approximatly every other Saturday from March to November. MAS members can use the facility any other time of the year. Public star parties are all-weather events, assuring the observatory will be open to visitors.  

Other MAS member sites include Metcalf Field and the Joseph J. Casby Observatory in the east metro area, Cherry Grove Observatory south of the Twin Cities and to the north, the Long Lake Conservation Center.