Simon Mitton

I am a historian of science at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of St Edmund's College. Also I am Vice President of the Royal Astronomical Society (2012 - 2014), and I am chairman of the library committee of the Society. I write popular science and academic books, almost exclusively on on the history of astronomy. My biography of Fred Hoyle (Cambridge 2011) is regarded as the standard work on a major scientist who worked in the mid-twentieth century. Springer is publishing an autobiographical memoir of Thomas Gold FRS; I edited this for publication. Early in 2013 Princeton University Press will publish Heart of Darkness (co-authored with Jeremiah P Ostriker of Princeton University); this popular science book asks and answered the intriguing question about our universe: "Why is there something rather than nothing?" Why do galaxies exist? In 1980 the International Astronomical Union designated Minor Planet 4027 as "Minor Planet Mitton" in recognition of the success of Simon and Jacqueline Mitton in promoting astronomy through their book writing and lecturing. We continue to do public lectures, notably for Cunard: we are Royal Astronomical Society Guest Lecturers and have worked on Queen Mary 2.