Ian Ridpath
Origin:
Born 1947 May 1, Ilford, Essex.
Current location:
Brentford, west London.
Contact details:
ian @ ianridpath.com
Career:
I have been a full-time writer, broadcaster, and lecturer on astronomy and space
since 1972. Previously I worked at the University of London Observatory and in
publishing. I am a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (Council member
2004–07), as well as a member of the Society of Authors and of the Association of
British Science Writers. I run my own desktop publishing system for producing
books and magazines.
Books:
Over 40 book titles as author or editor. These include a series of three sky
guides illustrated by Wil Tirion, the world’s foremost celestial map maker: the Collins Guide to Stars and Planets, a standard field guide for amateur astronomers (published in the US as the Princeton Field Guide to Stars and Planets); The Monthly Sky Guide, a month-by-month introduction to the stars, now in its seventh edition; and Gem Stars, a pocket guide to the constellations, regularly reprinted
I am editor of the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy and of Norton’s Star Atlas. I was also General Editor of the Collins Encyclopedia of the Universe.
Three of my early books concerned extraterrestrial life and interstellar travel:
Worlds Beyond, Messages from the Stars, and Life off Earth.
My favourite books are Star Tales, about the mythology of the constellations, and The Times Universe, a pictorial tour from the Earth to the farthest reaches of the cosmos.
Broadcasting:
Over the years I have appeared on numerous news and current affairs programmes
on radio and television, discussing developments in astronomy and space or
describing what can be seen in the sky. I was space correspondent for LBC Radio
and for the original BBC TV Breakfast Time programme. I subsequently moved to Sky News.
Journalism:
My writing has appeared in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. From
1986 to 1992 I was editor and then editor-in-chief of Popular Astronomy, a UK magazine for amateur astronomers. I am an occasional contributor to Astronomy Now and chair their annual AstroFest conference, the largest event of its kind in Europe (if not the world). I wrote
the London Planetarium programme Planet Earth, which ran from 1993 to 1995. For over 10 years I wrote a monthly star spot for
BBC Wildlife magazine. However, I regard myself primarily as an author of books.
Lecturing:
I am a lecturer in the Cunard Insights programme, in conjunction with the Royal Astronomical Society. Click here for available lectures.
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Tall tales: Lecturing on my favourite subject –
myths and origins of the constellations
Hobbies:
In the case of astronomy, I have made a career out of my hobby. Apart from
astronomy my main interest since the 1980s has been road running. In 1985 I
combined the two interests by running the London Marathon dressed as Halley’s Comet. My eleventh (and last) marathon was the Midnight Sun Marathon in Tromsø, Norway, which seemed a suitably astronomical event on which to finish. For
three years I was Race Director of the Polytechnic Marathon, from Windsor to Chiswick, Britain’s oldest marathon race, now sadly deceased.
More recently, I have come to appreciate the merits of allowing four legs to do
the running for me – see photo below. I am part-owner of a racehorse called Hevelius (after the Polish astronomer), in training with Walter Swinburn. I am also an
admirer of the contemporary British artists Peter Brown and David Tress. I collect postage stamps with an astronomical theme.
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Four-legged friend: Me and Betty, a sweet-natured 16-hander
at Ealing Riding School.
I have been involved with the Committee for Scientific Investigation of Claims
of the Paranormal and am a UFO skeptic. I observe with naked eye, binoculars, and small telescope from my home in
Brentford, West London.
Awards:
In 1986 I was Highly Commended in the annual British Science Writers Awards for
my investigation and explanation of Britain’s most famous UFO case in Rendlesham Forest near Woodbridge US Air Force base in
Suffolk. I first investigated the case for BBC TV’s Breakfast Time and published a subsequent report in The Guardian. Further details of the case can be found on this website.
The Giant Book of Space, published by Hamlyn, was a category winner in the 1990 Science Book Prizes.
Work in progress:
A 4th edition of the Philip’s Atlas of Stars & Planets (to be retitled).
A revised edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy.
Recent and forthcoming engagements:
Lectures and demonstrations, Northern Lights astronomy voyage, 2010 February 17–21
Lectures and demonstrations, Queen Mary 2, 2010 June 25–July 1
South West Astronomy Fair, Norman Lockyer Observatory, 2010 August 7
Royal Astronomical Society lunchtime lecture, September 14
Royal Society Lunchtime Lecture, 2010 September 17
Skeptics in the Pub, Cambridge, 2010 October 26
Last updated: 2010 june.
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