At 6’ 6”, it’s easy to see why everyone calls him “Long John.” But John Tanner has another claim to fame. He has worked at the same place since it opened more than 40 years ago. Quite an achievement, though it might say as much about the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre as it does about John.

With a voice that resonates across the domed theatre, John entertains the audience by bringing Harold (the Planetarium projector) to life and it didn’t take long for John to become a shining star in the Planetarium.

Every journey has a beginning. In 1967, John was spinning vinyl over the Vancouver airwaves. Then one day, destiny caught his eye. “I was living in Kitsilano and I could see them building this planetarium,” said John.

John walked onto the site, and told David Rodger, the Director at the time, of his life-long passion for astronomy. David knew John would be a good addition to the team. That was all he needed to hear. But like any new job, there was a learning process.

“I’d seen pictures of planetariums,” said John, "but I didn’t know much about running them.” John remembers doing the very first show at the Planetarium, The Way of All Stars. However, the grand opening didn’t go as originally planned.

David was to narrate the sold out show. Instead, he was called on to host Planetarium benefactor, H.R. MacMillan, who was in the audience. This meant John had to do the premiere show. A scary debut for John, but he pulled through.

John’s background in radio helped him when he started at the Space Centre and continues to be a passion today. From a Kelowna radio station while still in high school to the top rock stations in Vancouver, he spent almost 30 years on-air.

John took a brief hiatus in the mid-1990s. Then he started to miss being on-air. At his wife’s suggestion, he approached station CiTR at the University of British Columbia and has been doing a show there ever since.

“I just volunteer; I do my own thing and play what I want. Lots of Canadian content, 50s, 60s — whatever I want, and that’s really fun,” said John. “It’s like astronomy — you can’t shake it. It’s with you for life. I just love music. I think music and the stars go together well.”

What else has kept John at the Space Centre? “When kids come in here we want to teach them new things, but we want the learning to be fun too,” said John. “I would like to be remembered as the guy who loved teaching people about the night sky and for working at the Planetarium.”

“You never know where you’re going to end up. It’s hard for people today to find a job they love. If you have a hobby, don’t give up on it,” advised John. “Stay with it no matter what it is, because down the road, it may lead to a job. Whatever that dream is, follow it through.”

After more than 40 years with the Space Centre, these words resonate like a shooting star.