MARSHALL - A 2026 Madison Early College High School graduate and aspiring astrophysicist is helping to bring an observatory to his alma mater.
Levin Green, who will be attending UNC-Asheville and plans to major in astronomy, is a member of the Asheville Astronomy Club, is an award-winning astrophotographer. Green attended Madison County Schools throughout his academic career, starting at Brush Creek Elementary School as a kindergartener.
Green said July 20 he worked with Superintendent Lisa Gahagan and Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Caldwell beginning around February 2026 to bring the Madison Astronomical Research Station, or MARS, to Marshall.
According to Green, the idea to bring an observatory to the Early College was a no-brainer, as Madison
County sits in one of the darkest sky corridors on the East Coast, but students have limited access to astronomy equipment and observational opportunities.
The observatory
Green said in the Madison County Board of Education's July 20 meeting the observatory will create a unique STEM resource for students in grades 6-12, connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences.
"Through hands-on exploration of physics, mathematics and astronomy, students will experience beyond the classroom," he said. "Moe than a telescope, this observatory will inspire curiosity, encourage discovery and help create the next generation of STEM students in Madison County."
The observatory dome is positioned on a 10-by-10-foot base pad for clear and unobstructed sky access. The 8-foot dome is built from hard plastic on a metal frame, and is engineered to be fully disassembled and reassembled without special equipment.
According to Green, the observatory will allow for group instruction of up to 10 students at once. The dome will house a telescope owned by the school system, donated by Green.
Educational pathway
Green said he hopes the observatory can usher in a direct student pathway with students receiving hands-on experience from Madison County Schools and feeding into UNC-Asheville's astronomy curriculum.
"This could give students a concrete on-ramp into physics, engineering and
Beyond that, the observatory can serve as a viable community resource, as the observatory team is planning to host monthly public stargazes.
"Stargazing nights turns the observatory into a shared district resource, not just a classroom tool," Green said. "It'll be open for everyone."
Gahagan said she is very excited about the observatory, adding that some programming will see middle and high school classrooms visit for day-time observation to view the solar system.
The first public stargaze at MARS is planned for mid-August.
"Once we've had our first public night, we can develop a schedule for future use, both for students and general community, "Green said.
Johnny Casey is the Madison County communities reporter for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel. He can be reached at 828-210-6074 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 2026 grad Green helps bring observatory to Madison Early College High
