Nigel Henbest
Stuart Nigel Henbest FRAS (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.
Nigel Henbest | |
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| Born | 6 May 1951 Manchester, England |
| Alma mater | |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Astronomy |
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| Thesis | High Resolution Radio Observations of Tycho's Supernova Remnant and Forty-Eight Extragalactic Sources (1976) |
| Doctoral advisor | Sir Martin Ryle |
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. Among his award-winning television productions are On Jupiter, Black Holes and Journey to the Edge of the Universe. 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.
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.
Married with two stepdaughters, Henbest lives in Hampstead, North Carolina while retaining a residence in Buckinghamshire, UK.