Tom Boles

Thomas Boles (born 1944 in Lennoxtown in Scotland) is a Scottish amateur astronomer, discoverer of astronomical objects, author, broadcaster and former communications and computer engineer, who observes from his private "Coddenham Observatory" in Coddenham, Suffolk, United Kingdom.

Boles has also discovered a nova in the Andromeda Galaxy and 84417 Ritabo, an asteroid in the middle region of the main-belt, which he named after his wife Rita Boles.

Public outreach

Boles has co-authored three text books on popular astronomy: 2008 Yearbook of Astronomy, edited by Sir Patrick Moore – (Pan Macmillan) More Small Astronomical Observatories, edited by Sir Patrick Moore – (Springer Science+Business Media) The Science and Art of CDD Astronomy, edited Ratledge – (Springer Science+Business Media)

Boles's Television broadcasts include: Co-presenting BBC Tomorrow's World and guest appearances on several BBC programmes such as The Sky at Night, Final Frontiers, All Night Star Party (from Jodrell Bank); BBC Astronomers and ITV Vera Productions. Radio Broadcasts include Radio 2, Suffolk Radio, BBC Essex, Radio Northampton, Three Counties Radio, Radio Scotland, World Radio (Netherlands) and BBC Citizen Science.

In his later years, (2021-2022) Boles has also written three thrillers, recounting the adventures of Cambridge astronomer Brad Willis, who also moonlight for MI6 in cases where his scientific knowledge is needed. Dark Energy Shades of White Murder by Limo