Before Halley's comet burns across the Northern Hemisphere in November, a philosophical debate between astrologers and astronomers will warm up at SF State.
For the first time, a Student Astrological Association is seeking recognition from the Associated Students as an official campus club.
"It would make us a laughing stock to have an astrology club on campus," said Andrew Fraknoi, a part-time astronomy lecturer at SF State and executive officer of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.
Marguerite Cobb, a student and founder of the proposed astrology club, said criticizing astrologers is similar to discriminating against ethnic groups.
"He's trying to turn people against astrologers like he's some kind of saint," she said.
In his Sunset District office crammed with bookshelves and papered with celestial posters, Fraknoi said, with celestial posters, Fraknoi said, "I'm not against people who look at their horoscopes on the comic rages.
But I am against people who guide their lives by it.
"He said astrologers have strong financial incentives for encouraging people to believe in astrology.
As spokesperson and co-founder of the Bay Area Skeptics, a group of scientists and lay persons who try to debunk astrology, UFO's and the paranormal, Fraknoi appears on Jim Tason's K4O afternoon radio talk show and KCBS's "Universe Magazine" on Saturday mornings.
"The astrology club would be well within the guidelines of what a university club is about," said Russell Natson, acting director of Student Activities.
But he has yet to meet with club members to discuss a charter.
Although Fraknoi and Cobb argue the value of astrology, Cobb wants him to speak to her club about "the behavior of Mars.
"Fraknoi said he might be willing to talk about the planet because he agrees astrology is the precursor of astronomy.
Ancient civilizations worshipped the stars and planets before studying them, he said.
Cobb said her plans for the club include inviting speakers to meetings, holding workshops and visiting off-campus astrologers.
Fraknoi said he became concerned when he learned Cobb wanted to establish an astrology club on campus.
He said a lack of skepticism among his students fueled his desire to "'debunk" astrologers.
More than 1,200 newspapers run astrology columns in the United States, according to Fraknoi's astronomy group.
Cobb said people are becoming more aware of their "dark side.
"She also said Fraknoi" wants to uncover the physical unknown of the planets through astronomy.
We want to explore the unknown and the known behavior of the planets through astrology.
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