Super massive black holes, Gamma-Ray bursts and asteroids will all form part of the Royal Institution of Cornwall's new-look Spring lecture.

On Thursday May 17 at 6.30pm in the Municipal Buildings, City Hall, Boscawen Street, Truro Dr Andrew Newsam of Liverpool, John Moores University will present a lecture on the Universe.

"The Universe is a dramatic, ever-changing place, but it is very difficult to study these changes," Andrew explained. "Recently, large, full-robotic telescopes have been built to provide the observations that will plug this gap in our knowledge. In this talk I will show how the UK is leading the world in the study of the changing Universe and how it is helping us to understand objects as diverse as asteroids, exoplanets, super-massive black holes and vast explosions in space know as Gamma-Ray bursts."

Andrew describes himself as a "numerical astronomer with observational tendencies". He completed his PhD at Glasgow University and afterwards moved to Southampton University where he was thrown into the heady world of observation astronomy. Andrew left Southampton to take up an opportunity at Liverpool John Moores University to help set up the National Schools' Observatory which aims to get school children actively involved in astronomy using professional telescopes.

"We wanted to do something completely different," enthused Taryn Harris, RIC Membership and Events Officer. "The talk is taking place in an outside venue, another first for us, and it is allowing us to open it up to the public. It should be fascinating; I want to learn more about Gamma-Ray bursts - the images look so beautiful."

Teachers from local schools have been invited to come along so that they can have a chance to meet Andrew and find out more about the National Schools Observatory. The service is free to schools and children can get fully involved from directing the telescope to taking images, finding out their age on other planets and gaining a better understanding of space.

Things That Go Bang in the Night is the first in an exciting series of lectures which will take place at the RIC twice a year. Future topics will include The Cornish Wonder - A Portrait of John Opie and the Nebra Sky disc which has shed new light on the astronomical knowledge of the European Bronze Age.

Tickets for Things That Go Bang in the Night are priced at £5 and can be obtained from the Royal Cornwall Museum, River Street, Truro. Tel 01872 272205 dial 0 or e-mail enquiries@royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk.