(CNN) -- It's a number that even astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is having a hard time wrapping his brilliant mind around. 

His Christmas Day tweet commemorating the birthday of Isaac Newton was retweeted more than 69,000 times as of this writing, making it the most popular of his Twitter career so far -- and, arguably, his most controversial. 

"On this day long ago, a child was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642," the StarTalk host tweeted. 

He followed it up with a nod to the commercialization of Christmas: "Merry Christmas to all. A Pagan holiday (BC) becomes a Religious holiday (AD). Which then becomes a Shopping holiday (USA)." By then, he was on a roll. Earlier in the day, he tweeted, "QUESTION: This year, what do all the world's Muslims and Jews call December 25th? ANSWER: Thursday." 

His comments drew criticism and name-calling from various corners of the internet. "Overly reductive, deliberately cynical and unnecessarily provocative," one person said on Twitter. 

Another accused him of "trolling Christmas today to show you how smart he is." 

Tyson's response to the controversy? "Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them." 

Later Friday, Tyson pondered "My Most Retweeted Tweet" in a Facebook post. He did not defend or disavow his comments. Instead, in true scientific form, he attempted to quantify their popularity compared to previous tweets. 

"My sense in this case is that the high rate of re-tweeting, is not to share my enthusiasm of this fact, but is driven by accusations that the tweet is somehow anti-Christian," he wrote. "If a person actually wanted to express anti-Christian sentiment, my guess is that alerting people of Isaac Newton's birthday would appear nowhere on the list." 
Who tweeted on Christmas day?
How many people retweeted it?
What did the tweet say?
What did he follow it up with?
What did it say?
Was he on a roll?
Did he tweet earlier that day?
What?
Where all his comments favorable?
What did one person say?
What did someone else say?
What was his reply to that?
What did he think about in a Facebook post?
When?
Did he defend what he said?
What did he do instead?
What did he say?
What was it driven by?
What followed that?
What is he known as?
Neil deGrasse Tyson
 Neil deGrasse Tyson 
69,000 times
 was retweeted more than 69,000 times 
On this day long ago, a child was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642,"
On this day long ago, a child was born who, by age 30, would transform the world. Happy Birthday Isaac Newton b. Dec 25, 1642," the StarTalk host tweeted. 
a nod to the commercialization of Christmas
He followed it up with a nod to the commercialization of Christmas
"Merry Christmas to all. A Pagan holiday (BC) becomes a Religious holiday (AD). Which then becomes a Shopping holiday (USA).
"Merry Christmas to all. A Pagan holiday (BC) becomes a Religious holiday (AD). Which then becomes a Shopping holiday (USA).
Yes
By then, he was on a roll
Yes
. Earlier in the day, he tweeted
"QUESTION: This year, what do all the world's Muslims and Jews call December 25th? ANSWER: Thursday."
"QUESTION: This year, what do all the world's Muslims and Jews call December 25th? ANSWER: Thursday." 
No
His comments drew criticism
Overly reductive, deliberately cynical and unnecessarily provocative,"
Overly reductive, deliberately cynical and unnecessarily provocative," one person said on Twitter. 
trolling Christmas today to show you how smart he is."
Another accused him of "trolling Christmas today to show you how smart he is." 

"Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them."
Tyson's response to the controversy? "Imagine a world in which we are all enlightened by objective truths rather than offended by them." 
My Most Retweeted Tweet
Tyson pondered "My Most Retweeted Tweet" in a Facebook post.
Later Friday
Later Friday, Tyson pondered "My Most Retweeted Tweet" in a Facebook post.
No
He did not defend or disavow his comments
attempted to quantify their popularity compared to previous tweets.
 Instead, in true scientific form, he attempted to quantify their popularity compared to previous tweets. 
"My sense in this case is that the high rate of re-tweeting, is not to share my enthusiasm of this fact
"My sense in this case is that the high rate of re-tweeting, is not to share my enthusiasm of this fact
by accusations that the tweet is somehow anti-Christian,
, but is driven by accusations that the tweet is somehow anti-Christian,
"If a person actually wanted to express anti-Christian sentiment, my guess is that alerting people of Isaac Newton's birthday would appear nowhere on the list."
"If a person actually wanted to express anti-Christian sentiment, my guess is that alerting people of Isaac Newton's birthday would appear nowhere on the list."
an astrophysicist
 astrophysicist