General Announcements

Request for Proposal: Gemini North Adaptive Laser Launch Telescope

February 27th, 2020

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), on behalf of the Gemini Observatory, is soliciting competitive proposals to design and build five (5) Laser Launch Telescopes (LLTs) for the Gemini North Adaptive Optics facility (GNAO), a multi-conjugate adaptive optics system currently under development.

The complete Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation related to this solicitation will be available for download on the AURA Central Administrative Services website in early March. 

Request for Proposal: Gemini North Adaptive Optics Bench

January 17th, 2020

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), on behalf of the Gemini Observatory, is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) for an Adaptive Optics Bench (AOB) in support of the Gemini North Adaptive Optics facility (GNAO), a multi-conjugate adaptive optics system.

All documentation relating to this solicitation are available for download at the AURA Central Administrative Services website.

Gemini North Operations Impacted by Protests

July 31st, 2019

July 31: Gemini North remains closed for observations. We would at this time have been in the scheduled engineering shutdown, but the continued lack of reliable access to Maunakea has delayed the start of that work. With the approaching Hurricanes Erick and Flossie bracketing the weekend, a small crew ascended to the summit this morning (31-Jul) to leave the facility in a safe state. Once we regain reliable summit access we will commence and complete the shutdown, but to limit the loss of time in 2019B have deferred the planned primary mirror coating until 2020.

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