Nigel Henbest

Nigel Henbest
FRAS
Born (1951-05-06) 6 May 1951 (age 73)
Manchester, England
Alma mater
Known for
Promotion and popularisation of Science and Astronomy
Scientific career
FieldsAstronomy
Institutions
Thesis High Resolution Radio Observations of Tycho's Supernova Remnant and Forty-Eight Extragalactic Sources  (1976)
Doctoral advisorSir Martin Ryle

Stuart Nigel Henbest FRAS[1] (born 6 May 1951) is a British astronomer and science communicator. Born in Manchester and educated in Belfast and at Leicester University, Henbest researched in radio astronomy at the University of Cambridge before becoming a freelance author, television producer and astronomy lecturer. Asteroid 3795 Nigel is named after him.[1][2]

Henbest has written around 50 books and over 1,000 articles on astronomy and space for the popular market, including The New Astronomy and The Guide to the Galaxy.[3] Among his award-winning television productions are On Jupiter, Black Holes and Journey to the Edge of the Universe.[3] As well as lecturing on cruises, Henbest has given astronomy presentations on all seven continents (including Antarctica). He also leads tours to view total eclipses of the Sun.[4]

Formerly Astronomy Consultant to New Scientist magazine, editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association and media consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory, Henbest is now a Future Astronaut with Virgin Galactic.[5]

Married with two stepdaughters, Henbest lives in Hampstead, North Carolina while retaining a residence in Buckinghamshire, UK.[3]

  1. ^ a b "Nigel Henbest biography at the University of Leicester". University of Leicester. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
  2. ^ "The Stars were out at Morley". Learning for Life at Morley. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Shooting stars, a blue moon and a partial eclipse Astronomer, author and broadcaster Nigel Henbest speaks to the MEN". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  4. ^ Dayton, Leigh (2009), Fun in the Egyptian Sun, The Australian, retrieved 13 September 2018
  5. ^ Philip Sherwell (23 October 2011). "Brits for blast off: tourists head to final frontier". Telegraph. Retrieved 21 October 2015.