Andrew Fraknoi

I am a professor of astronomy (and physics for poets) at Foothill College near San Francisco and have spent much of my professional career helping students, K-12 teachers, other professors, and the public understand more about astronomy and astronomy outreach. For 14 years, I was the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and I have continued to work on educational projects with the Society.

I am the co-author of several introductory college textbooks in astronomy, and the editor of a number of educational resources, including The Universe at Your Fingertips 2.0 (available through Amazon). My children's book Disney's Wonderful World of Space,appeared in hard-cover and paper-bound editions. I co-founded the journal, Astronomy Education Review, and appear regularly on local and national radio programs explaining astronomical developments.

The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to honor my contributions to astronomy education and outreach, but I want to assure everyone that Asteroid Fraknoi is an extremely boring asteroid orbiting safely in the main belt, and does not pose a threat to Earth or any other planet.