November 9, 1934

Carl Sagan, (November 9, 1934 to December 20, 1996) is an icon of modernity. Even so it is helpful to look at a brief summary of his career, from, in this case, a Google blurb:

Carl Sagan was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking and Voyager missions to the planets and briefed the Apollo astronauts before their flights to the Moon. He helped solve many mysteries in planetary science from the high temperature of Venus to the seasonal changes on Mars. For his unique contributions, he was awarded the NASA Medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievment and for Distinguished Public Service (twice), as well as the Tsiolkovsky Medal of the Soviet Cosmonautics Federation, the John F. Kennedy Award of the American Astronautical Society and the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Space Education.

We have a quote from a 1973 book of "popular science" titled The Cosmic Connection. Sagan here wrote:

....[some] stars are too massive for even photons to escape. Consequently they are dark...They are present gravitationally but not optically.They are called "black holes." They are beasts akin to the smile on the Cheshire cat. They are enormous stars that have winked out but are still there.

A smile as a 'beast,' in his infelicitous phrase, is not a good note to end on. Here is a lovely photo of the guy with his second wife (of three).