About Neil Degrasse Tyson
Neil Degrasse Tyson is an esteemed American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator who has contributed significantly to his field. He is renowned for his impactful work with NASA and has authored numerous books. Additionally, he co-hosts the popular television program, Star Talk.
Neil Degrasse Tyson: Profile Summary
| Full Name/Birth Name | Neil Degrasse Tyson |
| Mononym (Nickname) | Neil Degrasse Tyson |
| Gender | Male |
| Profession | Author, Science Communicator, Astrophysicist |
| Citizenship | American |
| Birth Location | Manhattan, New York, United States |
| Date of Birth | 5th October 1958 |
| Age | 64 years old |
| Height | 1.87 m (6 feet 1 inch) |
| Weight | 105 kg (231 pounds) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Alice Young (m. 1988) |
| Children | Two (Travis Tyson, Miranda Tyson) |
| Net Worth | $6 Million |
Biography and Early Life
Neil Degrasse Tyson was born in New York, USA, on October 5, 1958, and is of Afro-American Puerto Rican descent. His father, Cyril deGrasse Tyson, was a sociologist, while his mother, Sunchita Maria Tyson, was a gerontologist. He also has two siblings, Stephen Joseph Tyson and Lynn Antipas Tyson.
Tyson attended public schools in the Bronx and graduated from The Bronx High School of Science. He pursued higher education at Harvard College, where he obtained a BA in Physics, followed by an MA in Astronomy. Subsequently, he earned his MPhil and Ph.D. degrees in Astrophysics in 1989 and 1991 respectively.
Professional Career
Tyson began his career by delving into cosmology, galactic astronomy, and specific astrology. He held positions at the University of Maryland, Princeton University, and the American Museum of Natural History. In 1994, while at Princeton University, he became a researcher at the Hayden Planetarium and later led the planetarium’s $210 million projects, completed in 2000.
His contributions extended to appointments to the President’s Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry in 2001 and the President’s Commission on the Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy in 2004. Moreover, Tyson played a key role in controversial reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. He also served as President and Administrator of The Planetary Society and hosted the PBS program Nova ScienceNow until 2011. In May 2009, he co-hosted the show StarTalk with a comedian.
Authorship
As an author, Tyson has penned several books on astrology, including titles like “Merlin’s Tour of the Universe”, “Just Visiting This Planet” and “Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries”. His literary contributions are highly respected and have significantly expanded the public’s understanding of astrophysics.
Net Worth and Awards
As of 2022, Neil Degrasse Tyson’s estimated net worth is around $5 million, stemming from his extensive research, appointments, television hosting, and book sales. Additionally, he has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, Isaac Asimov Award from the American Humanist Association, and the Cosmos Award from the Planetary Society, among others.
Personal Life
Tyson has been married to Alice Young since 1988, and they have two children together – Mirinda and Travis.
