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Town: Argyle
Observing site: Old Mill State Park
Address: Route 1, Box 43
Zip Code: 56713
Contact person: Old Mill State Park Ranger's Office
Telephone number: (218) 437-8174
URL: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/parks_and_recreation/state_parks/old_mill
Restrictions: A Minnesota State Park Vehicle Permit ($4 per day, $20 per
year)
Directions: Old Mill is located on Marshall County Highway 4, between
Argyle and Newfolden, northeast of Grand Forks. From Newfolden, go 11
miles west on County Road 4. From Argyle, go 12 miles east on County Road
4, then 1 mile north on County Road 4 to County Road 39. It is well
marked. Virtually anywhere in the Park is good, the parking lot, the campground, the
swimming area. Create a map using
Mapquest.com.
Current weather:
How are the sky conditions? Unbelievable. There is not a major population center (over 10,000) within 100 miles. The person who submitted this site writes that he has seen a 7th-magnitude star with his eyes alone! He also says that this park virtually empty and that there are no lights on the horizon whatsoever.
Typical naked-eye magnitude limit on a clear, moonless night: Mag 6.5 - 7 in all directions. No obstructions: this is BIG SKY country! The only obstructions are trees that are low and about 300 yards away from the main parking lot as you come in the front gate.
Comments from contributor:
Argyle Site has completely open sky in all directions. Limiting
magnitude is
about 7 -- really. Unbearably cold in the winter, but sky conditions are outstanding with no airglow or light pollution.
If you ask the park ranger at the front gate to turn off all of the lights
in the park, most nights they will. The park is almost always on the list for closure due to the few visitors it gets. During the winter they plow
the parking lot for people to slide down a little hill. You can see within 5 degrees of the
horizon in all directions. This is the prairie. Most people think
northern Minnesota is all trees. Not so. This area is wide open. The land is
very flat. I have stood on my porch and seen the green flash at sun down a number of times. I think that is pretty much
the definition of horizon!
So, no obstructions, no light pollution, and no population around. The sky up there disorients a lot of people. There are so many stars that it takes
people from metro areas a few minutes to get their bearings.
Errors in this listing? Click here to submit corrections.
Town: Comfry
Observing site: Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site
Address: 27160 County Road 2
Zip Code: 56019
Telephone number: (507) 628-5591
URL: http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/jp/
Any restrictions: State historic site, so admission is charged during normal hours but site is freely accessible after hours.
Directions: Approximately 30 miles south of Redwood Falls, near Comfrey and Windom. Three miles east of U.S. Hwy. 71 on Cottonwood County Road 10, then one mile south on County Road 2. View map or click here to create a map using Mapquest.
Current weather:
How are the sky conditions? Very clear, almost no light pollution. The nearest towns are small and at least 10 miles away, very few farms in the area.
| Typical naked-eye magnitude limit on a clear, moonless night: | |
| At the zenith: | 7.0 |
| East: | 7.0 |
| West: | 7.0 |
| North: | 7.0 |
| South: | 7.0 |
Comments from contributor: Visibility is great in all directions, and we have several astronomy nights each year. When the weather cooperates, the viewing is incredible!
Errors in this listing? Click here to submit corrections.
Observing site: Bronk Management Unit
Address: none (see directions below)
Contact person: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Telephone number: (800) 766-4040
Any restrictions: none
Directions: From Winona, take Highway 14 west to Stockton, MN (about 5 miles). Turn right onto County Road 23. Go about two miles and then turn right onto Hillsdale Township Road No. 6. Proceed to end of road, maybe .5 mile. This is a gravel parking lot. Click here to create a map using Mapquest.
Current weather: 
How are the sky conditions? Adequate.
Not exactly dark sky, but darker than in town.
There are absolutely no artificial lights visible from here.
Typical naked-eye magnitude limit on a clear, moonless night: maybe 4.5 to 5.0
Best horizon: West, 35 degrees
Worst horizon: East 60 degrees
Comments from contributor: This is a MN DNR property, publicly accessible. Watch out - on the way in is a one-lane bridge over a small stream with no sides. There will be fatal levels of mosquito activity in season. The parking lot is nestled close to the hillside, so the field of view is limited by the hill and trees. But this is good for a quick look if you live near Winona, MN.
Errors in this listing? Click here to submit corrections.