Nigel Henbest

Nigel Henbest is a leading science populariser, specialising in astronomy and space. He trained at Leicester University and the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cambridge, under the then Astronomer Royal, Sir Martin Ryle. He returned to Leicester to research in planetary science, including fieldwork on the eruptions of Mount Etna.

Subsequent appointments included Astronomy Consultant to New Scientist magazine, and Public Relations Consultant to the Royal Greenwich Observatory. He has also served as Chairman of Britain’s National Astronomy Week 1990 – which put the media spotlight on light pollution – and Editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association.

Much of his media work is now in television production and scriptwriting. His screen credits include the award-winning documentaries On Jupiter and Black Holes, Body Atlas (13-part series), and the three recent highly acclaimed series Universe, Edge of the Universe and The Day the Earth was Born. With colleagues at Pioneer Productions, he has launched the high-profile science website www.firstscience.com

His 35 books and over 1000 articles have been translated into 27 languages. He has contributed to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, and is a columnist for The Independent newspaper.

As we approach the 400th anniversary of Galileo's birth, there is no better time for this extraordinary volume examining centuries of evolution in astronomy. From superstition and mythology to science, the clear text and extraordinary images make this the perfect volume for anyone with an interest in our mystifying Universe, from families to astronomy enthusiasts and students. From as far back as the Greeks, humans have striven to understand our Universe. Over centuries and millennia, astronomers have moved towards establishing some of its extraordinary true nature. Expounding this development, Astronomy uncovers the past, present and future.