You’ve seen the hands. You know exactly what I’m talking about—those palms-up, slightly raised hands that basically say, "Look, I don't make the laws of physics, I just work here." It’s the "We Got a Badass Over Here" meme, and it’s likely the first thing that pops into your head when you search for pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild. Here is a man who is the director of the Hayden Planetarium, a guy with a PhD from Columbia, and yet his most enduring contribution to digital culture is a freeze-frame from a 2011 interview where he was actually just geeking out about Isaac Newton.
But there is a whole lot more to the visual history of Tyson than just a few viral GIFs. From harrowing eyewitness photos he took himself on 9/11 to "breaking the internet" with a presidential selfie, the catalog of pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson tells the story of how science became "cool" again in the 21st century.
The Meme That Won’t Die
Let's address the elephant in the room. That "Badass" meme.
If you look at the original footage from the Big Think interview, Tyson isn't being arrogant. He’s actually describing how Isaac Newton invented calculus on a dare before he turned 26. He’s excited. He’s animated. But the internet did what the internet does: it stripped away the context and turned his expression of genuine awe into a universal symbol for "watch out, we’ve got a tough guy."
It’s the ultimate example of how pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson often take on a life of their own. You see it on Reddit, Twitter (X), and every comment section where someone is trying too hard to be edgy.
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The 9/11 Photos You Probably Haven't Seen
This is where things get heavy. Most people know Neil as the cheerful science communicator, but he lived just blocks from the World Trade Center in 2001.
He actually captured some of the most raw, haunting images of that day. These aren't polished publicity shots. They are gritty, terrifying, and deeply personal. On his official website, he hosts a gallery titled "The World Trade Center," which includes a photo taken just three seconds before the second plane hit.
I’ve looked at these shots. They’re different from the professional news photography of the era. They have the perspective of a neighbor watching his world collapse. He even captured the remains of the South Tower on September 17, showing the twisted steel that remained. It’s a side of his visual history that reminds you he’s a New Yorker through and through, long before he was a global celebrity.
The Selfie That "Broke" The Internet (Almost)
Fast forward to 2014. If you search for pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson with famous people, the holy grail is the selfie with Bill Nye and Barack Obama.
Bill Nye actually wrote about this moment for The Planetary Society. The story is hilarious. They were at the White House for a science fair, and Neil decided to go for it. He asked the President for a selfie. Obama was game. Neil pulled out his phone, reached out his long arm... and his memory was full.
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Imagine being the guy who holds up the leader of the free world because you haven't cleared out your old photos. Bill Nye had to jump in with his own phone to save the day. The resulting photo—three of the most influential men in the world grinning like schoolboys—went absolutely viral. It wasn't just a picture; it was a cultural moment that signaled science had a seat at the highest table.
The Evolution of the "Science Look"
If you track pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson from the 80s to now, you see a fascinating transformation.
- The Early Years: Check out the photos of him as a young wrestling captain at Harvard. He’s lean, intense, and sporting a serious afro.
- The "Origins" Era: Early 2000s Neil often wore standard suits, looking every bit the academic.
- The Vest Phase: This is the Tyson we know today. The celestial-themed vests have become his trademark.
He’s been photographed by some of the best in the business. F. Scott Schafer captured him for Popular Science in 2015, leaning into that "heroic" look. Then there’s the oil portrait by Sarah Yuster from 2006, which hangs in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. It shows him in his element, surrounded by the tools of his trade, looking much more like a classical philosopher than a TV star.
Why We Can't Stop Looking
Why do pictures of Neil deGrasse Tyson perform so well?
It’s the authenticity. Whether he’s being "actually'd" by a meme or caught mid-laugh on a red carpet with his wife, Alice Young, he doesn't seem to have a "fake" mode. He’s a high-energy guy. That energy translates into dynamic photos.
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He also understands the power of the image. Tyson frequently talks about "Earthrise," the famous Apollo 8 photo of Earth coming up over the moon's horizon. He calls it the most influential image ever taken because it shifted our collective perspective. He knows that a single frame can change how people think about the universe.
Where to Find High-Quality Shots
If you’re looking for more than just a blurry screengrab for a meme, there are specific places to go.
- The Official Site: NeilDegrasseTyson.com has a "Publicity Photos" section. These are high-res, professional, and mostly free for press use with attribution.
- The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH): Since he’s the director of the Hayden Planetarium, their archives are full of him doing real science work—lecturing, looking through telescopes, and hosting the Isaac Asimov Memorial Debates.
- NASA Archives: He’s been a fixture at NASA events for decades. Their Flickr account is a goldmine for shots of him at shuttle launches and anniversary galas.
Actionable Insights for Your Search
If you are trying to find a specific vibe or use a photo for a project, keep these things in mind:
- Check the License: Just because it’s on Google Images doesn't mean it’s free. Celebrity photos are often owned by agencies like Getty or Alamy. Using them on a commercial site without a license is an easy way to get a "cease and desist."
- Look for the Vests: If you want the "classic" Neil, search for terms like "Neil deGrasse Tyson StarTalk" or "Neil deGrasse Tyson Cosmos." You'll get the most iconic, vest-heavy versions of him.
- Go Deep for History: If you want the "wrestling Neil" or the "9/11 eyewitness Neil," you have to go beyond the first page of results. Use his official "Photography & Art" page for the most accurate historical context.
The visual legacy of Neil deGrasse Tyson isn't just about a famous face. It’s about a man who realized that to explain the stars, you have to be willing to be a bit of a star yourself. Whether he’s pointing at the sky or holding his hands up in a meme, he’s always teaching.
To see the most updated collection of his public appearances, you can follow the official StarTalk social media channels where new high-definition photos from his latest recordings are posted weekly.