[MODEST] Orbituary Sverre Aarseth {External}

[Simon Portegies Zwart]

Dear all,

It is with great sadness that I have to inform you of the passing away
of Sverre Aarseth on 28 December this year after 90 two-body
orbits. Sverre Johannes Aarseth was born on July 20, 1934, in Norway.

Sverre was a student of Fred Hoyle, and later became the supervisor of
Douglas Heggie and Anna Terlevich at the University of Cambridge's
Institute of Astronomy.  He pioneered computational astrophysics,
developing the NBODY family of codes that revolutionized our
understanding of planet formation, stellar clusters, the dynamics of
black holes, and galaxy clusters.  His work laid the foundation for
numerous advancements in dynamical astronomy, earning him the
prestigious Brouwer Award in 1998.

His commitment to open science was evident long before the concept of
open-source software became popular, as he freely distributed and
supported his codes.  Generations of astronomers have benefited from
Sverre's codes.  In recognition of his contributions, asteroid 9836
Aarseth (1985 TU) was named in his honor.  Fittingly, Sverre is
currently observable between Virgo and Lyra, a celestial tribute to
his lasting impact on the field.

Beyond his scientific pursuits, Sverre was an avid mountaineer and
accomplished chess player. He earned the title of International Master
for Correspondence Chess in 1981.  The astronomical community
celebrated his 80th birthday in Sexten Italy in 2014, where we
climnbed the Tre Cime di Lavaredo (also called der Drei Sinnen, a
pathetic small mountain for Sverre), almost missing his afternoon
talk.

Generations of astronomers were entertained by his vivid stories of
meeting tigers (in the wild), racing cars, and stormy mountain top
sleep-overs. His lively personality, humor, and groundbreaking work
will be remembered fondly.  As he ascends to a higher orbit, we will
cherish the memory of his vibrant personality, captivating stories,
and the invaluable codes he wrote. His legacy will continue to inspire
future generations of astrophysicists, much like the celestial bodies
he spent his life studying.

We have been lucky to have orbited Sverre.
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