[7] Moving to St John's College, Cambridge, Henbest researched at the Cavendish Laboratory, under the then Astronomer Royal, Sir Martin Ryle.

[9] Henbest also researched the optical spectra of quasars at the Royal Greenwich Observatory,[10] before returning to the Department of Geology at Leicester University, to develop and install tiltmeters and a recording seismometer on the active volcano Mount Etna[11][12] He has presented research on ancient astronomical observations to the European Association of Archaeologists,[13] and has been an Honorary Professor in the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee.

[14] With the publication of his first major book, The Exploding Universe, in 1979 Henbest began a lifelong career as a science communicator - specialising in astronomy and space - across media platforms ranging from magazines and newspapers to radio, television and online.

[4][19] A former lecturer at the Greenwich Planetarium, Henbest has given public presentations on astronomy and space around the world, from Australia to Colombia and Antarctica.

[3] He has also led tours of major space centres, from the Apollo Mission Control in Houston to the futurist Spaceport America in New Mexico.

For the BBC World Service, he has filed location reports on solar eclipses, the repair of Hubble Space Telescope and spacecraft encounters with planets and comets.

[27] In 1989, Lord Bernard and Lady Josephine Miles invited Henbest to write a play for the Molecule Theatre of Science.

[1] As well as editing books and magazine supplements, Henbest was appointed as Editor of the Journal of the British Astronomical Association in 1985, redesigning and revitalising the publication.

[32] In 1983, Henbest conceived a TV documentary on the pioneering Infrared Astronomical Satellite, which was filmed by Quanta production company[33] and screened in the BBC television Horizon strand.