Stalwart of astronomy and proud family man – Gisborne Herald

HE WAS a Gisborne Astronomical Society star but the late Huon Chandler preferred to stay out of the limelight, says society president John Drummond of his long-time friend.

Mr Chandler was the societys long-standing treasurer and public nights presenter.

Devoted to the society since the early 1970s, the Cook Observatory was like his second home, said Mr Drummond in his eulogy.

Few know he paid the monthly power bills out of his own pocket when the society was at its ebb.

He also regularly mowed the grass around the Cook Observatory for years and painted over graffiti as soon as it appeared on the observatory.

Mr Chandler ran public nights every Tuesday for about 25 years and his talks on cosmology and others aspects of astronomy were legendary.

Those public nights even made it into the New Zealand Lonely Planet section on Gisborne.

There are undoubtedly many other things that Huon did for the society and observatory that even I dont know, said Mr Drummond.

Born in Dunedin in 1947, Mr Chandler joined the Inland Revenue Department on leaving school. When his family moved to Gisborne a few years later, he moved here too.

He met his future wife, Carol, during a holiday in USA and in 1976. They married in Gisborne and raised two boys, Joseph and Matthew.

Mr Chandlers varied career usually included a computer.

A passionate reader, Mr Chandler had a particular penchant for science fiction and loved fantasy games.

When computer fantasy games became available, he was in his element.

He was equally in his element on starry nights.

Mr Drummond recalls those nights.

We discussed everything from astronomy, to politics, to God and, of course his family, which he always spoke of with pride and excitement.

I remember one night on the roof of the Cook Observatory when Huon and I were observing a meteor shower.

We got to talking about the movie Blazing Saddles and noticed more meteors.

Later we revisited that comedy-western and again saw an increase in meteors.

This happened a number of times during the night. It was a unique experience to us both and one that we joked about for many years after.

Mr Chandler died on May 26 after several months of illness.

Farewell my old meteor-observing buddy, said Mr Drummond.

May you shine like a star in your new abode forever.

HE WAS a Gisborne Astronomical Society star but the late Huon Chandler preferred to stay out of the limelight, says society president John Drummond of his long-time friend.

Mr Chandler was the societys long-standing treasurer and public nights presenter.

Devoted to the society since the early 1970s, the Cook Observatory was like his second home, said Mr Drummond in his eulogy.

Few know he paid the monthly power bills out of his own pocket when the society was at its ebb.

He also regularly mowed the grass around the Cook Observatory for years and painted over graffiti as soon as it appeared on the observatory.

Mr Chandler ran public nights every Tuesday for about 25 years and his talks on cosmology and others aspects of astronomy were legendary.

Those public nights even made it into the New Zealand Lonely Planet section on Gisborne.

There are undoubtedly many other things that Huon did for the society and observatory that even I dont know, said Mr Drummond.

Born in Dunedin in 1947, Mr Chandler joined the Inland Revenue Department on leaving school. When his family moved to Gisborne a few years later, he moved here too.

He met his future wife, Carol, during a holiday in USA and in 1976. They married in Gisborne and raised two boys, Joseph and Matthew.

Mr Chandlers varied career usually included a computer.

A passionate reader, Mr Chandler had a particular penchant for science fiction and loved fantasy games.

When computer fantasy games became available, he was in his element.

He was equally in his element on starry nights.

Mr Drummond recalls those nights.

We discussed everything from astronomy, to politics, to God and, of course his family, which he always spoke of with pride and excitement.

I remember one night on the roof of the Cook Observatory when Huon and I were observing a meteor shower.

We got to talking about the movie Blazing Saddles and noticed more meteors.

Later we revisited that comedy-western and again saw an increase in meteors.

This happened a number of times during the night. It was a unique experience to us both and one that we joked about for many years after.

Mr Chandler died on May 26 after several months of illness.

Farewell my old meteor-observing buddy, said Mr Drummond.

May you shine like a star in your new abode forever.

See the article here:

Stalwart of astronomy and proud family man - Gisborne Herald