UW-Madison seniors wanted to hit a home run with their inaugural Senior Day. It turns out they hit one out of the solar system.

Famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will be the keynote speaker at Senior Day on May 10, speaking at 3 p.m. on the Memorial Union Terrace.

The event is free and open to the public, but if it rains, the program will move indoors to the Wisconsin Union Theater, and only UW students will be allowed in.

Senior class president Steven Olikara said in a UW-Madison news release Senior Day has been years in the making.

"As a fitting capstone to the Year of the Wisconsin Idea, Dr. Tyson has inspired millions of young people to think big and change the world," Olikara said.

"I believe this event is a major step forward in promoting the university's missions of public service, leadership and innovation," Olikara said.

Tyson is a frequent guest on "The Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show," and penned the bestseller "Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries."