Thijs de Graauw

Thijs de Graauw looked at the stars his whole life, and in doing so, he helped the rest of us see a little farther too. Born in 1942 with an unquenchable curiosity about the night sky, Thijs spent his days chasing the mysteries of the universe—and somehow still found time to make everyone around him feel like they were the most important person in the room. He passed away on April 22, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that stretches far beyond the scientific papers and discoveries. He left behind a world that is a little brighter because he was in it. What many people didn't know about Thijs was that beneath the brilliant astronomer was a man who absolutely loved a good cup of coffee, a long walk along the Dutch coast, and telling jokes that made everyone groan—even when they were secretly funny. He had this remarkable ability to make complex ideas feel simple, to take the wonders of the cosmos and translate them into something that felt personal, something that mattered. His students adored him, his colleagues respected him, and anyone who spent more than five minutes with him walked away feeling like they'd made a genuine connection. That was just who he was. Family was everything to Thijs. He spoke of his loved ones with such tenderness that you'd think they'd hung the moon themselves—and in his eyes, maybe they had. He was the kind of father, grandfather, and partner who showed up, really showed up, with his whole heart. He missed family dinners when work demanded it, but he never missed an opportunity to tell someone he loved them. The stars may have been his professional passion, but his family was his universe. Thijs leaves behind more than scientific achievements. He leaves behind the countless people he inspired to look up at the night sky and wonder. He leaves behind a way of being in the world—curious, kind, and endlessly generous with his time and knowledge. The stars will keep shining, as they always have, but here on Earth, there's a space that won't quite be filled. We miss you already, Thijs. Thank you for showing us the beauty in the cosmos and in simply being alive.