--> Semester 2016A Call for Proposals | Gemini Observatory

Change page style: 

Semester 2016A Call for Proposals

Gemini Observatory invites its community to propose scientific investigations for the 2016A semester, 1 February 2016 - 31 July 2016.

The submission deadline varies with partner. Multi-partner joint proposals should be submitted by the deadline of the partner country to which the Principal Investigator is affiliated. Proposals for exchange time on Gemini from the Japanese are required to be submitted by September 30, 2015 at 23:59 HST (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time). An overview of the Gemini proposal submission process is available.

The Call is open to all partners and host institutions : Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Chile, the University of Hawaii, Korea (under its Limited-term Partnership MoU), and Australia (under its Limited-term Partnership MoU). US time is open to all astronomers including those at non-US institutions, although in that case the proposal must explain why U.S. national facilities are needed. The distribution of time across the partners is available in the time distribution table.

Jump to:


New and Notable in 2016A!

The following capabilities and announcements are notable for the 2016A semester. Please see the relevant instrument pages and subsections of the call for proposals for details.
  • The DSSI Speckle camera visitor instrument will be available at Gemini SOUTH.
  • Phoenix returns to Gemini South as a visitor instrument
  • GRACES offers high-resolution (R~67,500) optical spectroscopy between 400 and 1000 nm at Gemini North.
  • The TEXES visitor instrument will be available at Gemini North.
  • Opportunity Extended: Bring one, get one! In 2016A, Gemini Observatory will continue to subsidize, with up to US$2000, the travel expenses of individual under- and graduate students visiting Gemini North or South, when accompanying a senior observer.


Summary of 2016A Gemini Capabilities

Gemini North

Target are generally limited to 4 < RA hours < 1 and -37 < dec degrees < +90. In some cases there are additional constraints as described below and in the target and instrument accessibility page.
Facility instruments offered in 2016A, in queue or classical mode, are:
Visitor instruments offered in 2016A (subject to demand), in queue mode only, are:
  • TEXES: a high resolution (R ~4,000-100,000) mid-infrared (5-25 micron) spectrometer. Up to 100 hours, subject to demand, are available during June 2016, limiting RAs to 11h to 0h (targets near the RA limits are available only for short periods).
  • GRACES: a high-resolution, R~67,500, optical (0.4-1 micron) spectrometer. Scheduled blocks to be determined with CFHT, based on demand.

Gemini South

Target are generally limited to 5 < RA hours < 2 and -90 < dec degrees < +28. In some cases there are additional constraints as described below and in the target and instrument accessibility page.
Facility instruments offered in 2016A, in queue or classical mode, are:
Visitor instruments offered in 2016A (subject to demand), in queue mode only, are:
  • DSSI Speckle camera: a dual-channel visual-wavelength camera giving simultaneous diffraction limited images in two filters over a 2.8 arcsec field of view. Up to 100 hours, subject to demand, are available during the second half of 2016A, generally limiting RAs to 12h to 0h. The scheduling and length of the entire DSSI visitor block will be subject to community demand and instrument availability.
  • Phoenix: A high-resolution (R ~50,000 - 80,000), near IR (1-5 micron) echelle spectrometer. Up to 150 hours, subject to demand, are available during the second half of 2016A, generally limiting RAs to 12h to 0h. The scheduling and length of the Phoenix visitor block(s) will be subject to community demand and instrument availability. An ITC is available on the NOAO Phoenix webpage.


Important Dates for 2016A

The deadline for Phase I submission varies with partner. For successful proposals, both queue and classical, the Phase II submission deadline is 15 January, 2016. More information is available in the 2016A schedule.


Phase I Submission Guidelines for 2016A

Proposals for time on Gemini, and for time on Subaru via the Gemini-Subaru exchange program, must use the Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT). Latex and Word templates are available to create a pdf attachment which includes the science and technical cases. The requested time for the visitor instruments should include all required calibrations (unlike the facility instruments where the time required for a specified set of baseline calibrations should not be included). Investigators are requested to include the output from the integration time calculators in the proposal. See the PIT page for installation information and the help pages for the PIT for assistance.


Time Available in 2016A

The time available for each partner and host institution in 2016A is shown on the time distribution page. The science time available at each telescope includes a 5% Director's Discretionary Time allocation, available to astronomers worldwide through the Director's Discretionary Time proposal process. At Gemini North, ~171 nights are expected to be available for science. At Gemini South, ~169 nights are expected to be available for science.


Limited-Term Partnerships

Proposals from Korea and Australia are accepted under Limited-Term Partnerships with Gemini Observatory. Proposals with PIs from Limited-term partners are not eligible for joint proposals or Subaru Exchange time. Additionally, for PIs from limited-term partnerships, access to block-scheduled instruments is subject to scheduling constraints, and not guaranteed, irrespective of science rank. The block-scheduled instruments are GSAOI, GRACES, DSSI, TEXES, and Phoenix.


Subaru Exchange Time

The exchange of time between the Gemini and Subaru communities will continue in 2016A. Gemini expects to be able to exchange a minimum of 5 nights in semester 2016A.


Priority Visitor Observing Mode

In Priority Visitor Observing, a visiting observer is placed at the summit for a block as long as or exceeding their program's time allocation, and elects when to carry out their program within that block. This may be when conditions are within their requirement, better than their requirement or even fail to meet their requirement. If time remains on the program after the summit time is complete, the program carries on in the regular queue with priority given by the TAC-assigned science ranking band. PV observing mode is offered as a possibility for band 1 queue programs in 2016A. Investigators wishing to have their program considered for PV observing should indicate their desire to participate in the Technical Design portion of their 2016A queue proposal.


Other Proposal Opportunities

Other proposal opportunities are available at Gemini Observatory. These include:

  • The Fast Turnaround (FT) Program provides monthly opportunities to submit proposals, with successful programs scheduled for observation starting one month after each proposal deadline. Up to 10% of the time at Gemini North and Gemini South (pending formal Approval) is available for the FT program.
  • Director's Discretionary Time is open to any astronomer worldwide and can be submitted at any time.
  • Large and Long Programs are Principal Investigator-defined and -driven programs that are expected to require either significantly more time than a partner typically approves for a single program, or extends over two to six semesters, or both. Up to 20% of the available time from participating parters is available for LLPs. LLP proposals are not being accepted during this call. An announcement on the next opportunity to propose for LLPs will be made in December 2015.
  • Poor Weather Proposals are solicited for programs that can use poor, but usable, conditions and are executed when nothing in the regular queue is observable. Proposals can be submitted via the normal TAC process (this call) or at any time.


Bring One, Get One: Travel Assistance Program

The Gemini Observatory, at the request of its Users' Committee, would like to strongly encourage the visit of students, and other early-career observers, to observing runs (attending Queue, Classical, or Priority Visiting Observing). In semester 2016A, the Gemini Observatory will subsidize with up to US$2000 the travel expenses of individual under- and graduate students, and other early career observers, visiting Gemini North or South, when accompanying a senior observer. The "Bring One, Get One" Student Observer Support Program" page has full details on this program. This program is subject to the availability of limited funds.


Remote Eavesdropping

Remote Eavesdropping will be available in 2016A for all programs. Investigators will be invited to sign up for eavesdropping via the PI email announcing they have been granted time.


Additional Information

Please see the page of supporting information for additional general information. Prospective users should also refer to the target and instrument accessibility page, and the instrument pages for detailed and up to date information on instrumentation.


Questions and Answers

All questions concerning proposals, or any other subject, should be made using the Gemini HelpDesk. This web-based system will send the request to your National Gemini Office staff in the first instance who will then escalate it to Gemini staff if necessary.

Comments and suggestions on the format and content of this page and supporting pages are welcome, and should be sent to Steve Margheim.



Gemini Observatory Participants