Leading astronomer Andrew Fraknoi joins us once more on Grey Matter with Michael Krasny to talk about the upcoming April 8, 2024 eclipse.  Your questions on it and on eclipses in general will be welcome as we discover where and how best to view the April 8th eclipse and consider ongoing misunderstandings and misconceptions about eclipses and their history.  Join us with your questions!

Bio

Andrew Fraknoi, who is sometimes called the “Bay Area’s Public Astronomer,” retired a few years ago as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and still teaches short, noncredit courses on astronomy at the University of San Francisco and SF State.  He is the co-author of When the Sun Goes Dark, a book for children about eclipses, and the lead author of OpenStax Astronomy, a free online book that is now the most frequently-used, introductory astronomy textbook in the country. He appeared regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language, and was named California Professor of the Year in 2007.  With several colleagues, he is leading the effort to distribute 6 million free eclipse glasses through 13,000 public libraries across the nation, with support from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation.  For more on his work, see his website.

Additional eclipse reading/resources:

Booklet for Library Patrons on the Two Eclipses in 2023-24

Booklet for teachers at all levels 

Guide to Eclipses in the Humanities Films, Fiction, Art, Music