Neil deGrasse Tyson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Neil deGrasse Tyson
Tyson in 2023
Born	(1958-10-05) October 5, 1958 (age 67) New York City, U.S.
Education	Harvard University (BA) University of Texas at Austin (MA) Columbia University (MPhil, PhD)
Spouse(s)	Alice Young ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	2
Awards	NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (2004) Klopsteg Memorial Award (2007) Public Welfare Medal (2015)
Scientific career
Fields	Astrophysics science communication
Institutions	University of Maryland, College Park Princeton University American Museum of Natural History
Thesis	A Study of the Abundance Distributions Along the Minor Axis of the Galactic Bulge (1992)
Doctoral advisor	R. Michael Rich
YouTube information
Channel	StarTalk
Years active	2010–present
Subscribers	4.80 million
Views	792.5 million
Last updated: July 20, 2025
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Neil deGrasse Tyson (born October 5, 1958) is a famous American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. He helps people understand the wonders of space and science. He studied at top universities like Harvard University, the University of Texas at Austin, and Columbia University.

Since 1996, he has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. This planetarium is part of the American Museum of Natural History. Tyson is well-known for hosting popular TV shows like Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey and the podcast StarTalk. He makes learning about the universe exciting and easy to understand for everyone.

Who is Neil deGrasse Tyson?

Neil deGrasse Tyson is a scientist who studies the universe. He is also a great storyteller. He uses his skills to share scientific ideas with many people. He has written books and hosted TV shows. His goal is to make science fun and interesting for all ages.

His Early Life and Learning

Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in Manhattan, New York City. He grew up in the Bronx. His father was a sociologist, and his mother was a gerontologist. She studied aging.

Discovering the Universe

Tyson's interest in space began when he was nine years old. He visited the sky theater at the Hayden Planetarium. He felt a strong connection to the night sky. He said the universe "called him." During high school, he took astronomy classes at the planetarium. These classes were very important to him.

When he was 14, he got a special scholarship. It allowed him to see a total solar eclipse in 1973. He met famous people like Neil Armstrong and Isaac Asimov on this trip. As a teenager, Tyson became known for giving lectures on astronomy.

The famous astronomer Carl Sagan noticed Tyson's talent. Sagan invited the 17-year-old Tyson to visit him at Cornell University. Tyson learned from Sagan the kind of person he wanted to become as a scientist.

Tyson chose to attend Harvard University. He studied physics there. He also enjoyed wrestling and dancing. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in physics in 1980. He then continued his studies at the University of Texas at Austin. He received a Master of Arts degree in astronomy in 1983. Later, he earned his PhD in astrophysics from Columbia University in 1991.

Tyson hosting the 40th anniversary celebration of Apollo 11 at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, July 2009

A Career in the Stars

Tyson's research has focused on many areas of space. These include how stars are born and how galaxies form. He has worked at several important places. These include Princeton University and the American Museum of Natural History.

Leading the Hayden Planetarium

In 1994, Tyson joined the Hayden Planetarium as a staff scientist. He became the director in 1996. As director, he led a huge project. This project rebuilt the planetarium. It cost $210 million and finished in 2000. Tyson felt it was his duty to inspire new generations. He wanted to share the wonders of the universe, just as others had done for him.

Explaining the Cosmos to Everyone

Tyson has written many popular books about space. From 1995 to 2005, he wrote a monthly column. It was called "Universe" for Natural History magazine. In one column, he created the term "Manhattanhenge." This describes when the setting sun lines up perfectly with the streets of Manhattan. It happens twice a year.

In 2001, U.S. President George W. Bush asked Tyson to join a special group. This group looked at the future of the U.S. aerospace industry. In 2004, he joined another group. It focused on exploring the Moon, Mars, and beyond. That same year, he received the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. This is a very high honor from NASA.

Tyson with students at the 2007 American Astronomical Society conference

Pluto's New Status

As director of the Hayden Planetarium, Tyson made a big decision. He chose not to call Pluto the ninth planet in exhibits. He wanted to group objects by their shared features. He grouped rocky planets together and gas giants together. Pluto was grouped with similar icy objects. This decision caused a lot of discussion. Many children even sent him angry letters! In 2006, the International Astronomical Union agreed with this idea. They officially changed Pluto's classification to a dwarf planet.

Tyson in December 2011 at a conference marking 1,000 days after the launch of the spacecraft Kepler

Sharing Science with the World

Tyson has hosted many TV shows and podcasts. From 2006 to 2011, he hosted NOVA ScienceNow on PBS. In 2009, he started hosting the weekly podcast StarTalk. This podcast became so popular that it turned into a TV show. The TV show StarTalk began airing on National Geographic in 2015.

On TV and Podcasts

In 2014, Tyson hosted the TV series Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. This show was a follow-up to Carl Sagan's famous 1980 series. It explored the universe in an exciting way. He returned with another season, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, in 2020. For his amazing work in making science exciting, he received the Public Welfare Medal in 2015.

Tyson promoting the Cosmos TV series in Australia for National Geographic, 2014

Advocating for Space Exploration

Tyson strongly believes in expanding NASA's work. He thinks NASA is the most powerful agency for inspiring a nation's dreams. He often points out that people think NASA gets a lot more money than it actually does. He says NASA's budget is only "half a penny on the dollar" of tax money. He believes that a little more funding could greatly inspire the country.

Tyson, Bill Nye, and U.S. President Barack Obama take a selfie at the White House, 2014.

His Personal Journey

Neil deGrasse Tyson lives in New York City. He lives with his wife, Alice Young. They have two children, Miranda and Travis. He met his wife in a physics class. They named their first child Miranda after one of Uranus's moons. Tyson also enjoys collecting wine.

Awards and Special Mentions

Neil deGrasse Tyson has received many awards and honors for his work. These recognize his contributions to science and his efforts to share it with the public.

Key Awards

• 2004 NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
• 2007 Klopsteg Memorial Award
• 2015 Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences
• 2017 Hubbard Medal, National Geographic Society
• 2017 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

Special Honors

• 2001 An asteroid was named after him: 13123 Tyson.
• 2007 Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people.
• 2008 Discover Magazine named him one of "The 10 Most Influential People in Science."

On Screen and In Books

Tyson often appears in movies and TV shows as himself. He also narrates documentaries and writes many books.

Movies and TV Shows

Neil deGrasse Tyson was the keynote speaker at TAM6 of the JREF.

• He has appeared on The Colbert Report and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
• He was a guest on The Big Bang Theory several times.
• He appeared in the film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016.
• In 2013, he helped DC Comics choose a real star for Superman's home planet, Krypton.
• He narrated the science documentary Food Evolution in 2016.
• He has also made guest appearances in cartoons like Family Guy and The Simpsons.

2010 Space Conference group portrait (from left): Tyson, Bill Nye, Jim Bell, Scott Hubbard, and Lou Friedman

Books by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Signing a copy of his book Origins at The Amazing Meeting by the James Randi Educational Foundation, 2008

• Merlin's Tour of the Universe (1989)
• Universe Down to Earth (1994)
• Just Visiting This Planet (1998)
• One Universe: At Home in the Cosmos (2000)
• Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution (2004)
• The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist (2004)
• Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries (2007)
• The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet (2009)
• Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier (2012)
• Welcome to the Universe: An Astrophysical Tour (2016)
• Astrophysics for People in a Hurry (2017)
• Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military (2018)
• Letters from an Astrophysicist (2019)
• Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going (2021)
• Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization (2023)
• To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery (2023)

Images for kids

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  Tyson in conversation with Richard Dawkins at Howard University, 2010

See also

In Spanish: Neil deGrasse Tyson para niños