I, Rock

Sometimes, it pays to have friends in high places. Figuratively and literally. My friend Jeff Medkeff was an astronomer and asteroid hunter. Shortly before he died*, he named a passel of asteroids for some well-known skeptics, and I was incredibly honored to be among them. Asteroid 2000 WG11 (165347) became known as 165347 Philplait. It's a kilometer or so across, and (like me) slightly eccentric; it orbits the Sun on an elliptical path between Mars and Jupiter. Another friend of mine, Amy Mainz...