Fred Hoyle, later Sir Fred (1915-2001) at the time of publication was the Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge University, a staff member of Mount Wilson and Palomar Observatories, and Visiting Professor of Astronomy at the California Institute of Technology. His scientific studies included Frontiers of Astronomy and The Nature of the Universe (the book that introduced the [then famous but in the 21st century less so] steady state theory of creation). Among his works of science fiction are The Black Cloud and Ossian's Ride.