"It was a dark and starry night . . . I felt as though I could see forever. Too numerous to count, the stars of the autumn sky, and the constellations they trace, were rising slowly in the east while the waxing crescent moon was descending into the western horizon. Aloft in the northern sky were the Big and Little Dippers, just where they were described to be, just as they were described to appear . . . Forty-five minutes of my suspended disbelief swiftly passed when the house lights came back on in the planetarium sky theater . . ."

—From THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT

The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist
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Author:  Neil de Grasse Tyson

Publisher:  Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Date Published:  February 2000
Format:  Trade Cloth

"...a fascinating individual and a true role model.  Mr. Tyson will inspire you." -- Troy Johnson, AALBC.com

Look up into the night sky, and what can you see? Depending on where you are, the sights of the universe vary greatly. In a large city, your stargazing experiences may be limited to a planetarium or rooftop jaunt. Suburbanites fare better: lights and pollution are decreased. You may have the good fortune to live in a much less congested area, such as in the desert or the mountains, where the sky is a dazzling blanket of stars. In any case, the infinity of the heavens is breathtaking, and surely imparts out-of-this-world dreams for astronauts, scientists, and many others.

Sometimes, individuals who are starstruck at an early age turn their passion into a lifelong career. One such person is Neil de Grasse Tyson, the youngest-ever director of New York City’s Hayden Planetarium and a research scientist in Astrophysics at Princeton University. The first time Tyson looked up at the sky, at nine years of age, he was on the rooftop of his Bronx apartment house (appropriately named "Skyview") with a pair of binoculars. With that, and one trip to the Hayden Planetarium, Tyson knew his path was set. In his memoir THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT: ADVENTURES OF AN URBAN ASTROPHYSICIST, Tyson brings readers on his incredible journey from a city kid to a scientific luminary, and one of only a handful of African-American astrophysicists in the world.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR NEIL DE GRASSE TYSON was appointed the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium in 1996, and also serves as a research scientist in the Department of Astrophysics at Princeton University. Born and raised in New York City, Dr. Tyson earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia University in 1991. His monthly column, "Universe," appears in Natural History magazine, and he is the author of two previous books, Merlin’s Tour of the Universe and Just Visiting This Planet.

THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT is the captivating story of Tyson, whose life and work are as unique and inspiring as the stars above. Becoming an astrophysicist is not an easy task for anyone, and for Tyson the road was no less bumpy or tedious. He earned money to buy his first telescope in junior high school by walking neighborhood dogs, only to be frequently approached by the police while stargazing because his neighbors thought he was a burglar on the roof. In graduate school, he once considered exotic dancing to earn more money, then realized the obvious alternative was to become a math tutor. Instead of lending his services to the local university, however, Tyson helped maximum security prisoners with their GED exams.

THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT also gives Tyson’s impressions of being a revered scientist in the public eye. Tyson is frequently called upon by the media to explain astronomy to the general public, from the discovery of water on Mars to the most recent total lunar eclipse seen in North America. As Tyson explains, his views are not always taken seriously or easily accepted. Once when he appeared on World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, Tyson wore an "astro-tie" to help illuminate the subject matter. At the end of the very serious interview, Peter Jennings broke from the script to utter "Nice tie," prompting a multitude of e-mails and comments from colleagues and strangers having more to do with his clothing choices than with his profession. In an essay titled "Pluto’s Honor," Tyson outlined his theory that Pluto should be classified as a comet rather than a planet. In response, Tyson received a lot of angry mail from children and organizations who formed a "Save Pluto" campaign, pleading with Tyson to change his mind.

Neil de Grasse Tyson prides himself not only on his individual accomplishments but on the many men and women who have continuously supported him. THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT provides valuable insight into how scientists work in, and think about, the social, political, and physical world; however, it also stresses the importance of family and educators in the cultivation of goals. Tyson himself is very active in the community to promote increased scientific literacy and better funding for science in schools and public institutions. He believes, "We may still have an opportunity to impart our long-lost visions of the future upon the aspirations of the next generation . . . We just need creative ways to inspire them."

With the triumphant reopening of the Hayden Planetarium in February 2000, THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT is a timely account of the man poised to be the next Carl Sagan. His personal dreams may have been fulfilled, but his struggles now focus on the entire universe. With accessible writing that ranges from accounts of his journeys to the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in the Andes Mountains, to explanations of cryptic physics equations, THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT is engaging and entertaining. The most important message Tyson has for everyone he encounters is "Reach for the stars," and after reading his story, you may just go outside and try.