Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist, cosmologist, author and one of the most recognized science communicators in America today.

On March 4, on his first visit to Montana, he gave an evening lecture at Montana State University. The sold-out event – the largest audience Tyson has addressed in person -- was hosted by the MSU Leadership Institute.

Tyson grew up in New York City and became fascinated by astronomy after visiting the Hayden Planetarium at age 9. He is currently director of that planetarium, and his ability to explain science in dynamic ways has made him a popular figure in American media.

Tyson is host of the popular program, “Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey.” He hosted PBS’ “Nova ScienceNow,” wrote for Natural History magazine and is a frequent guest on “CBS This Morning.” Tyson recently announced that he will have his own talk show on the National Geographic Channel, titled “Star Talk.” He has also appeared on numerous talk shows such as “The Daily Show,” “The Colbert Report” and “Real Time with Bill Maher,” as well as hit TV series such as “The Big Bang Theory” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

A native of the Bronx, Tyson has a doctorate in astrophysics from Columbia University. His research is on star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galaxies, and the structure of the Milky Way. He was appointed to serve on the Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry and the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission by former President George W. Bush. He has been awarded the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by NASA.

“We seek to bring high-profile, world-renowned experts to Montana State University, and Dr. Tyson’s thought-provoking lectures sell out to audiences throughout the country,” said Carmen McSpadden, director of the MSU Leadership Institute. “Our students have worked diligently for the last two years to host Dr. Tyson, and it could not have happened without their efforts, our generous sponsors and students and public who purchased tickets.”

Tyson’s lecture was sponsored by the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Montana PBS, the MSU Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Leadership Institute, Office of Research and Economic Development, College of Engineering and the Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU).

In the afternoon before his lecture, Tyson briefly answered some questions.

Out of all the astrophysical events in the history of the universe, what would you have most liked to witness?

The obvious one is the Big Bang.

Second to that, it would be the formation of our own moon. All evidence points to that being the product of a collision between a Mars-sized protoplanet and Earth. This Mars-sized protoplanet sideswiped Earth. It would have been a tremendous collision, scattering planet guts everywhere, coalescing over the ensuing months to form the moon. The moon would have formed very close to Earth. It would be about 20 times closer than now. The moon would have been huge in the sky. There would be huge tides.

My third choice would be to watch the extinction of the dinosaurs with the comet impact.
 

Since you grew up in New York City, what is the first star you saw in the night sky?

Generally, if it’s the first star you notice, it’s not going to be a star. It’s going to be a planet. For me, it would have been Venus in the evening sky as a kid in the Bronx in New York.

Stars don’t manifest in the night sky in the big city, certainly not most stars. But planets, when they get bright, they outshine all the other stars. So often when people wish upon a star … almost every wish in those cases was wished on a planet, and that’s why your wishes don’t come true. I’m pretty sure about that.


You are involved in so many things.  How do you divide your time?

There is strong overlap.

There’s a famous saying that you have one kid. Then you go to someone else who has two kids and say, “I have one kid. Should I have another kid?” The other person says, “Well, is the kid you now have taking up 100 percent of your time?” The answer is yes, so the second kid can’t take up more than that.

You have said you are a servant of the public’s appetite for science. What is the public most hungry for within science?

I think some people are hungry, and they don’t know they are hungry. It’s up to me as an educator to offer them a (sampler platter). If they don’t know, I will offer some things. Then I see which one they pick.

There are some repeating themes that people care about, like are we alone in the universe? What was around before the Big Bang? …It’s interesting how often catastrophic questions get asked. People want to know when they are going to die if it’s by some cosmic force.

I wrote a whole book called “Death by Black Hole.” People just love that, and kids love it. I thought, well that’s really creepy if kids like stuff like that, but kids also like T. rex better than vegetarian dinosaurs. I conclude that kids like things that can eat them.

You have danced in the past. If you were a competitor on the TV show “Dancing with the Stars,” and it was audience choice night, what song and dance style would they choose for you?

I like Van Morrison’s music and one by Joe Cocker, “Feelin’ Alright.” The songs are not exactly mainstream, but they are not so completely obscure that you are showing off. … I would happily be choreographed by whomever. They are professionals who do that.

As Tyson played Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright” and Morrison’s “Moondance” on his laptop, he continued, saying:

My real answer is I wouldn’t be interested in going on “Dancing with the Stars.” I danced long ago and I’m finished dancing. When I was dancing, no one asked me to give talks. Now I’m giving talks. If I now started dancing, then I wouldn’t be doing what it is that people ask me to give talks about. I wouldn’t be doing the thing that made me interesting enough to be on “Dancing with the Stars.”

Since your daughter’s name was inspired by the universe, how did you choose your son’s name? (Tyson’s daughter, Miranda, was named for one of the five major moons of Uranus. His son is Travis.)

It was the county where my wife and I first met, Travis County in Texas. We met at the University of Texas. My wife was getting her Ph.D. in mathematical physics.

Which award means the most to you besides Sexiest Astrophysicist (awarded by People magazine in 2000)?

It may be that I was inducted to the Bronx Hall of Fame. In New York City, it’s hard for anything to feel hometown because the town is so large with 8 million people. Hardly anything you do is received the way it would happen in a small town where everyone knows everybody.

I had underestimated the warmth that that would bring to me, knowing that I was a native of the Bronx … It has a quaintness that I didn’t think was possible in a city such as New York.