Bummer indeed. It shouldn't surprise me, but it does. He seems to have been in flail health for a number of years. I must have subconsciously known something was afoot as I picked up Earthlight, perhaps my favourite novel of Arthur's, and just finished reading it this past weekend. I may never go to the moon, but he painted a picture in my mind so vivid, that I almost feel like I've been there.

The end of Arthur's short story, The Nine Billion Names of God, seems appropriate here.

"Look," whispered Chuck, and George lifted his eyes to heaven. (There is always a last time for everything.)

Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out.