Celebrated Quebec astrophysicist Hubert Reeves has 'joined the stars' at 91

Quebec astrophysicist Hubert Reeves, photographed in March 2003 by Pierre Kitmacher. (Facebook)

Quebec astrophysicist, environmentalist and writer Hubert Reeves died Friday at the age of 91.

His son, Benoit Reeves, made the announcement on social media.

"My entire family joins me in the pain of having to announce that our dear father has gone to join the stars this day, Friday, October 13, 2023," he wrote.

Passionate about the beauty of the universe, Reeves helped develop the theory on the origin of lithium, beryllium and boron, and studied thermonuclear reactions at the heart of stars.

During his long career in Quebec, the U.S. and Europe, he received several awards, including the Albert Einstein and Samuel de Champlain prizes.

Recognized by the Order of Canada and Officer of the Ordre national du Québec, and holder of eight honorary doctorates, Hubert Reeves is considered one of the greatest astrophysicists of his generation.

He's the author of some 40 books and hundreds of publications in specialized journals. Powered by a desire to share his wonderment with the world, Reeves created several shows and popular science books, including "Patience dans l'azur" and "Poussière d'étoile."

A LIFE OF CURIOSITY AND DISCOVERY

Born in Montreal on July 13, 1932, Hubert Reeves developed a passion for science from an early age, first devouring "L'Encyclopédie de la jeunesse" then old school textbooks found in his attic, his "priceless treasure trove of battered books."

A professor at the Université de Montréal during the Quiet Revolution, he was disappointed by the nationalism that permeated the Quebec scientific community.

When his colleagues abandoned a particle gas pedal project in collaboration with McGill University because they refused to speak English in the laboratory, Reeves accepted an offer to teach in Belgium in 1964.

The following year, he joined a French research team, with whom he succeeded in assessing "the abundance of heavy hydrogen before the formation of the first stars," which he describes in his memoirs as "one of the best proofs" of the existence of the Big Bang.

BETWEEN EARTH AND STARS

A fierce defender of the environment, Reeves became president of the activist organization Humanité et Biodiversité in 2001, of which he remained honorary president until his death.

For him, astronomy and ecology were "two facets of the same theme," that of "our existence."

"Astronomy, by telling us the story of the universe, tells us where we came from, how we came to be here today. Ecology, by making us aware of the threats to our future, aims to tell us how to stay there," he wrote.

His love of nature was reflected at his home in the French village of Malicorne, the site of many a country walk.

Art was another of Reeves' passions, a different way of "accessing the richness and beauty of the universe." A music enthusiast, he even played the role of narrator in numerous orchestral productions.

'GRACEFUL EXIT'

Faced with his own mortality, one of Hubert Reeves' deepest regrets was that he would soon "no longer have access to the continuation of this fascinating exploration of the cosmos" in which he had been a major participant.

His wish was to have a "graceful exit," like ballerinas leaving the stage gently.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 13, 2023.