Gemini Observatory Homepage News and Announcements

New Gemini Deputy Director & Head of Science

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:18:18 -1000

Gemini Director Doug Simons is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Nancy Levenson as the new Deputy Director & Head of Science of the Gemini Observatory.

New Associate Director for Development

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:39:13 -1000

09B Programs and Schedules Announced

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:33:07 -1000

The Gemini 2009B observing programs have now been announced. Successful PIs will have received email notification; the 09B OT and the Phase 2 skeletons will be available on Friday June 12 2009. The 2009B queue summary will also be available on Friday.

2009B PIT released

admin — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:19:24 -1000

The Phase I Tool (PIT) for semester 2009B observing proposals has been released. This should also be used for poor weather and director's time proposals during the remainder of semester 2009A.

GMOS-N B600 replacement grating available

kroth — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:57:01 -1000

New GMOS-N B600 Grating Available

A new B600 grating has been commissioned and is available for science use in GMOS-N. This grating replaces the original B600 grating which was damaged in December 2008. Active programs that are configured to use the original B600 grating will automatically use this new grating for any new observations executed.

2009B OT released

bmiller — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:02:34 -1000

The 2009B Observing Tool (OT) is now available. This version is needed for 2009B Phase II preparation as well as for fetch/store of any programs in the observing databases.

Science with Adaptive Optics on Large Telescopes

admin — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:46:22 -1000

Adaptive Optics dramatically improves the performance of telescopes. Over the past few years facility AO systems have become a reality on large telescopes. Significant and important science is being achieved now with these systems on 6 to 10 meter telescopes.

Gemini Board WFMOS Resolution

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 15:28:25 -1000

Message from the Director Regarding WFMOS

By Doug Simons

On May 12-13 the Gemini Board met to discuss, among other topics, the future of the WFMOS project. At this meeting the Observatory provided the Board with a variety of information to support a definitive decision by the Board about proceeding with WFMOS. Regretfully, due to funding limitations, the Board could not support continuing with WFMOS and through this message I am informing the entire Gemini community that the WFMOS project has been terminated.

GMOS-N B600 grating unavailable

rschiavo — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:03:48 -1000

Original GMOS-N B600 grating no longer available.

Replacement grating will be ordered.

Atmospheric Differential Refraction in GMOS data

rcarrasco — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:23:00 -1000

GMOS was designed to take advantage of the anticipated sub-arcsec seeing of the Gemini Telescope. The original instrument design has provisions for an atmospheric dispersion compensator (ADC) to improve the performance of GMOS in both spectroscopic and imaging modes. However because there was an expectation that GMOS would be used mostly in the red, the installation of an ADC was postponed.

2009B Call for Proposals

admin — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:21:11 -1000

Gemini Observatory invites its community to propose scientific investigations for the 2009B semester, 1 August 2009 - 31 January 2010. The submission deadline is March 31st 2009.

Gemini Researchers Receive Prestigious Canadian Award

jeckersley — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:05:01 -1000

Photo: Luc Lavigne

Figure 1. Christian Marois, David Lafrenière et René Doyon.

2009A Observing Tool released

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:49:00 -1000

The 2009A Observing Tool (OT) is now available to support remaining 2008B observations and the start of semester 2009A.

2009A Time Allocations Announced

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:01:55 -1000

The allocations for successful Gemini 2009A observing programs have now been announced. Please check the 2009A schedules page for more information.

2009A call for proposals announced

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:49:28 -1000

Gemini is happy to announce that it is accepting proposals for observing time in semester 2009A. The proposal deadline is September 30, 2008. A new version of the Phase I Tool (PIT) has been released to support proposal submissions.

2009A PIT released

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:35:18 -1000

The Phase I Tool (PIT) for semester 2009A observing proposals has been released. This should also be used for poor weather and director's time proposals during the remainder of semester 2008B.

Observing databases offline for 09A update

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:34:24 -1000

Starting on Tuesday, December 9 the Gemini Observatory observing databases will be upgraded in preparation for semester 2009A and will not be accessible by the Observing Tool (OT) or the web report forms. ToO triggers will only be possible via the URL mechanism. The 2009A should be available on Thursday, December 11 and this will be needed for all subsequent fetch/store operations. Please check this site for further announcements.

Mauna Kea Weather Center's Symposium on Seeing

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:15:30 -1000

Mauna Kea Weather Center's Symposium on Seeing

Honoring Nod-and-Shuffle

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:14:55 -1000

Director's Message November 2008

admin — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:25:45 -1000

Doug Simons
Director, Gemini Observatory

2008 Dutch Christiaan Huygens Science Award to Dr. Mariska Kriek

jeckersley — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:11:46 -1000

Image Caption: Mariska Kriek works outside on Mauna Kea while in Hawaii for an observing run at Gemini.

Reorganization of Observing Process web pages

admin — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:52:56 -1000

We continue to work on improving Gemini's web pages. We have revised the pages in the Observing with Gemini section, and added pages in this section for the 2009A Call for Proposals and the new Phase I Tool release. Note that you may need to delete your computer's cache to access the new pages.

Science Operations Statistics

rmason — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:25:44 -1000

Gemini Observatory tracks completion rates for queue programs, open shutter efficiency, acquisition times and weather losses for both telescopes. In addition, the Observatory has investigated how observing conditions and program length may affect the probability of a program getting data. The results of these investigations may be particularly useful for PIs with programs in band 3. Information on RA distributions as well as the demand for the various GMOS gratings in semesters 2006B-2008A is also available. The following summarizes

Gemini and Subaru recently hosted WFMOS science meeting on May 19th through 21st

admin — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:37:12 -1000

Gemini and Subaru jointly hosting a WFMOS science meeting on May 19th through 21st

Semester 2008B allocations announced

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:21:01 -1000

The allocations for successful Gemini 2008B observing programs have now been announced. Please check the 2008B schedules page for more information.

2008B Observing Tool released

admin — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:17:38 -1000

The 2008B Observing Tool to support remaining 2008A observations and the start of semester 2008B is now available.

Observing databases offline

admin — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:58:21 -1000

Starting on Tuesday, June 10 the Gemini Observatory observing databases will be upgraded in preparation for semester 2008B and so will not be accessible by the Observing Tool (OT) or the web report forms. The Gemini North update will be on Tuesday, June 10 and the Gemini South update will be on Thursday, June 12. After the updates ToO triggers will only be possible via the URL mechanism until the new OT is released. The 2008B OT will be available on Friday, June 13 and this will be needed for subsequent fetch/store operations. Please check this site for further announcements.

Gemini North currently accepting poor weather proposals

admin — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -1000

Gemini North welcomes poor weather proposals . Note that reliable guiding with the peripheral wave-front sensor (P2) at the optimum frequency requires a star brighter than R~13.5 in clear, dark skies, so in cloudy conditions we can observe only programs with R<11.5 guide-stars. For the GMOS OIWFS the same limit applies. For GMOS-N, only imaging or R400 and B600 spectroscopic programs will be considered.