Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson was born on October 5th, 1958 and is currently 66 years old. Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in New York, New York, USA. Tyson attended Harvard University where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, University of Texas at Austin where he received a Master of Arts degree and Columbia University where he received an MPhil and a PhD.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson is an author, astrophysicist, and science communicator.
During his teen years, he obsessively studied astronomy; eventually he gained some fame in the astronomy community by giving lectures on the subject at the age of 15.
Carl Sagan even tried recruiting Neil for undergrad studies at Cornell. Carl invited Neil to spend a day in Ithaca, even offered to put him up for the night should Neil’s bus not come.
From 1991 until 1994, he was a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton University.
He joined the Hayden Planetarium in 1994 as a staff scientist and the Princeton faculty as a visiting research scientist and lecturer. In 1996, he became director of the planetarium, and oversaw its $210 million reconstruction project, which was completed in 2000.
Starting in 1996, he has been the director of the Hayden Planetarium at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City. It’s part of the American Museum of Natural History, where Neil founded the Department of Astrophysics in 1997 and has been a research associate in the department starting in 2003.
From 1995 to 2005, he penned monthly essays in the “Universe” column for
Natural History magazine, a number of which were published in
Death by Black Hole and
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.
Under the pen name of Merlin, he wrote a column in
Stardate, where he answered questions about the universe. These would appear in his books
Merlin’s Tour of the Universe and
Just Visiting This Planet.
His research has been focused on observations in stellar evolution, galactic astronomy, cosmology, stellar formation, and galactic bulges.
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry asks and answers what is the nature of space and time? How do we fit in the universe? How does the universe fit within us? There is no better guide through such mind expanding questions that you could have than Neil deGrasse Tyson.
However today, very few of us have the time to even contemplate the cosmos. So Neil brings the universe down to Earth clearly and succinctly, with sparkling wit, in some digestible chapters that are consumable anywhere and anytime in your busy day.
As you wait for your morning coffee to brew, or as you wait for the bus, the plane, or train to arrive, this will reveal exactly what you need to be fluent and prepared for the next cosmic headlines. From black holes to the big bang, from quantum mechanics to quarks, and from the search for life in the universe to the search for other planets.
The essential universe, from our most beloved and celebrated astrophysicist.
Neil deGrasse Tyson: Awards & Accolades
Tyson's book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry won the Goodreads Awards, Best Science and Technology, in 2017.
Neil deGrasse Tyson books have also been nominated for multiple awards, The Pluto Files was nominated for the Alex Awards, Best Book, in 2010. Astrophysics for People in a Hurry was nominated for the Audie Award, Best Narration by the Author, in 2018. Accessory to War was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Science and Technology, in 2018. Starry Messenger was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Nonfiction, in 2022.
Neil deGrasse Tyson: Lists & Other Mentions
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry was a New York Times: #1 Fiction Best Seller in 2018 and a New York Times: #1 Nonfiction Best Seller in 2017.
Related Authors
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- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
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- Andy Weir, author of the novel: Project Hail Mary.
- J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter Series.
- Neil Gaiman, author of the American Gods Series.
Neil deGrasse Tyson: F.A.Q
When was Neil deGrasse Tyson Born? How old is Neil deGrasse Tyson?
Neil deGrasse Tyson was born on October 5th, 1958. Neil deGrasse Tyson is currently 66 years old.
Where was Neil deGrasse Tyson Born?
Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in New York, New York, USA and is American.
What book awards has Neil deGrasse Tyson won?
Tyson's book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry won the award Goodreads Awards, Best Science and Technology, in 2017.
What was the first book Neil deGrasse Tyson wrote?
The first book written by Neil deGrasse Tyson was Merlin's Tour of the Universe, published in 1989.
What was the most recent book Neil deGrasse Tyson wrote?
His most recently released work was To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery on September 12th, 2023.
Will there be any more books by Neil deGrasse Tyson?
Neil deGrasse Tyson does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
How many books has Neil deGrasse Tyson written?
Neil deGrasse Tyson has written 23 books. 21 books in the Non-Fiction Books, 2 books in the Merlin Series.