Geoff Gaherty

John Percy has written that longtime and very active observer Geoff Gaherty (GHT) passed away on July 7, 2016. Below is a message John forwarded to me from James Edgar, Past President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. We join in extending deepest condolences to Geoff's family and friends.  ---  Elizabeth Waagen

"Many of you know that longtime member Geoff Gaherty was waiting for months for a kidney transplant, and just two weeks ago he received a donor organ. It was successfully transplanted, and he looked forward to resuming a somewhat normal life. Just three days ago, I received an email from him directly to say he was okay. He was still in hospital, as the medical staff had discovered a large ulcer that they were treating. His frail body couldn't take the stress, though, and he passed away today in Toronto.

"Geoff's many accomplishments include sketches of Venus and Jupiter from the late 1950s and early 1960s in Montreal; for several years, ending in 1966, he was the National Co-ordinator of the Planetary Section of the National Observing Program; he was awarded Messier and Finest NGC Certificates, and the Society's Chant Medal; he was a frequent contributor to the /Journal/ and the /Observer's Handbook /as far back as 1962, in addition to writing a monthly observing calendar for his friends in the Toronto Centre and across the RASC. He handled technical questions from /Starry Night/ users on a popular blog. Geoff was a leading responder to the Ask An Astronomer list on the RASC website. For many years he wrote an astrosketchers column for the /Journal/ entitled 'Through My Eyepiece.' His biography from 2007 reads like this:
 

Geoff Gaherty is currently celebrating his 50th anniversary as an amateur
astronomer. Despite cold in the winter and mosquitoes in the summer, he
still manages to pursue a variety of observations, particularly of Jupiter and
variable stars. Though technically retired as a computer consultant, he's
now getting paid to do astronomy, providing content and technical support
for Starry Night Software.

"Geoff provided text for the left-hand pages of the Handbook Month by Month for the two most recent issues.

"He was a prolific writer, a cheerful sort who always responded in a positive way, and a good friend -- he will be missed by many.

"Our deepest condolences go out to his wife Louise and son David in this most difficult time."