Join professional meteorologist and amateur astronomer Mike Lynch for a stargazing party at Garvin Park! Planned date Friday, November 19, with a back-up date for poor weather of November 20th. Meet at the Ball Field Shelter, past the sledding hill and turn-off for the horse campground.

Make the stars your old friends as we watch the great celestial show in the skies over the Southwestern Minnesota. We’ll have giant telescopes aimed at planets as well as the moon, star clusters, galaxies, and other great celestial treasures. We’ll also check out constellations like The Big Bear, Cygnus the Swan, Pegasus the Winged Horse, and some of their great stories behind them. Mike will also bring a telescope-astrophotography system to see really distant targets such as galaxies millions of light years away.

Mike Lynch was a meteorologist at WCCO Radio and has been hosting star watch parties and teaching astronomy classes for over 50 years. He also writes a weekly stargazing column for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and is the author of the books; “Mike Lynch’s Minnesota Star Watch” and “Stars, a Month by Month Tour of the Constellations.” Even if it’s the cloudy you’ll learn a lot, have a great time!

Per presenter request, face masks covering the mouth and nose are required while using the telescopes. Safety glasses will also be provided for use for those not already wearing glasses.

This event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by Lyon County Parks, the Friends of Garvin Park, Modern Woodman of America, and the Marshall-Lyon County Library.