Astronomer Dr. Andrea Prestwich talks shop with seventh grader Jesse V. (foreground), and fifth grader Justin F., about the ins and outs of black holes.

She was invited to speak by the Astronomy club Marblehead Community Charter Public School (MCCPS). Dr. Prestwich, an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astro Physics in Cambridge, and her team, recently discover a new type of black hole in the galaxy M82, using the orbiting Chandra X-Ray Observatory Satellite Telescope.

The advisor to the MCCPS Astronomy Club is ATMoB member Charlie McDonald. After reading about Dr. Prestwich's team discovering a new type of black hole in the Boston Globe, Charlie contact Dr. Prestwich and requested she give a lecture on black holes for the 25 member astronomy club. Dr. Prestwich immediately accepted the invitation.

Charlie then contacted the principal at MCCPS and asked that an all school assembly be organized to hear Dr. Prestwich's lecture on black holes. As a direct result, the entire 200-student body was present to see and hear Dr. Prestwich's lecture on black holes.

MCCPS is one of over 400 schools that are associated with Project Astro. Project Astro in the greater Boston area is coordinated by Cathy Clemens of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astro Physics. There are over 10,000 students involved in Project Astro nationwide.

Do amateur astronomers have an impact when they go into schools and give lectures? Charlie McDonald thinks so. Charlie states that during the recently held MCAS state tests the 8th graders at MCCPS tied for 7th place in math and science out of 200 school districts. Charlie feels very proud that he was a small part of their success.

Photo by permission of Christopher Bolick and CNC (Community Newspaper Company)