Dr. Martha Hanner

Dr. Martha S. Hanner is an astronomer and planetary scientist. Her research interests include interstellar dust, comets, planetary science, and exoplanets. From 1970 to 1975, Dr. Hanner was Co-Investigator on Pioneer 10/11, the first space probes sent to Jupiter. After two years as a Visiting Scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, she spent 25 years as a Senior Research Scientist at Caltech/JPL. There, Dr. Hanner worked on several space missions, including the Galileo Jupiter Orbiter, ESA's Giotto Halley flyby, and the Stardust Comet Sample Return. She carried out infrared spectroscopy and imaging of comets at the Palomar and Mauna Kea observatories.

She served as President of the International Astronomical Union Solar System Division and as the Education Officer for the AAS Division for Planetary Science. After retiring to Amherst, she taught an honors course, "Exploring the Solar System" at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Asteroid #4664 is named Hanner, in recognition of her contributions to planetary science and education.