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June 2011 Publication of the Gemini Observatory

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June 2011 Publication of the Gemini Observatory June 2011 Publication of the Gemini Observatory June2011 1 4 Director’s Message 23 Laser First Light at Doug Simons Gemini South Céline d’Orgeville 6 Jupiter: Battered from the Outside, Turmoil 29 GeMS Commissioning from Within Progress Glenn Orton Benoit Neichel and François Rigaut 11 Peering into Eta 32 A Stellar Nursery in the Carinae’s Past with NICI Lagoon Nebula John Martin and Étienne Artigau Julia I. Arias and Rodolfo H. Barbá 14 The First Clear 34 Gemini’s Spotters: Evidence for QSO- Guardians of the Light Driven Feedback in a Stephen James O’Meara Galaxy Merger David Rupke 38 Gemini Instrumentation: An Update, and a Look 18 Science Highlights to the Future Nancy A. Levenson Eric Tollestrup 2 GeminiFocus On the cover: This image composite shows the new 42 Gemini’s Green Queue Gemini South laser guide star (LGS) and Other Green News system with a Peter Pessev and Bernadette Rodgers closeup of the 5-star LGS constellation as it appears in a small telescope. 46 Sharing Gemini’s Below, the laser propagation team, Wonders: Looking In… from left to right, includes: François and Out Rigaut, Benoit Neichel, Matthieu Peter Michaud, Janice Harvey, and Bec, Andrew Serio, Antonieta Garcia Camila Durán, Carlos Segura, Vanessa Montes, Maxime Boccas, 50 Australia’s 2010 Gemini Tomislav Vucina, School Astronomy GeminiFocus is a twice-annual (June and December) Gelys Trancho, publication of the Gemini Observatory Vincent Fesquet and Contest Celine D’Orgeville. Mailing address: Gemini telescope Christopher Onken 670 N. A‘ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 USA and staff photo by Phone: (808) 974-2500 Fax: (808) 974-2589 Manuel Paredes; inset LGS image by Online viewing: www.gemini.edu/efocus 52 Profile: Maxime Boccas. To receive a printed copy of GeminiFocus, please send a Mercedes Gomez request (with your mailing address) to: Back cover: Carolyn Collins Petersen [email protected]. GeminiFocus is also available in electronic format at: www.gemini.edu/geminifocus Gemini North primary mirror Managing Editor: Peter Michaud reflecting the light of sunset off the interior 55 Staff Photography Science Editor: Nancy A. Levenson of the dome. Gemini Michael Hoenig Associate Editors: Stephen James O’Meara and Carolyn image by Joy Pollard. Collins Petersen Designer: Eve Furchgott / Blue Heron Multimedia Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. June2011 3 by Doug Simons Director, Gemini Observatory Gemini’s Move to Base Facility Nighttime Operations Among the many options considered in response to the budget reductions we face at Gemini, operating the telescopes remotely from the base facilities quickly emerged as an important part of our transition plans. This approach represents significant savings by eliminating transportation and lodging costs for nighttime staff. It also improves safety by reduc- ing the amount of long-distance mountain driving required. Both sites are subject to harsh conditions that can change quickly and require evacuations due to extreme weather from time to time. On Cerro Pachón, remote observing is already conducted by our neighbors at the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR), telescope and the new sodium laser at Gemini South has been monitored and operated from Gemini North as part of our distributed laser Adaptive Optics (AO) support model. The difficulty of working on Mauna Kea’s approximately 4,200-meter (14,000-foot) elevation, in particular, is well known. We expect the bene- fits of moving to base facility operations in Hilo to be particularly advantageous to the Gemini North science operations staff, where they will enjoy a more oxygenated environment near sea level. A veteran of observ- ing on Mauna Kea myself, I once spent a total of a month in “open-air” observing conditions conducting a brown dwarf survey using a 24-inch (60-cm) telescope that used to be where Gemini North now stands. After that experience, the prospect of operating a telescope and instruments from Hilo is a profound and welcome paradigm shift for me. Interestingly, Gemini’s move from summit to base facility operations is part of a larger progression that’s oc- curring at many facilities. In most cases, reducing the cost of operating telescopes was an important driver in the decision to develop this new approach across astronomy. It is also doubtless enabled by modern technologies that permit a range of telemetry, diagnostics, and remote-control systems that even some 10-15 years ago was hard to achieve. I point this out because while this move at Gemini may seem novel, in reality, we’re riding the same “wave” that many other facilities are generating. I suspect that in the not-too-distant future, the default mode of operating telescopes will be via remote operations, not on-site. The accompanying photo shows Mauna Kea’s summit area. Each observatory circled has adapted to a remote observing mode in one form or another. At the W.M. Keck Observatory, for example, they have perfected the technique of classically running programs from Australia, Waimea, and sites across California. Dedi- cated standardized observing stations are used by Keck to minimize support requirements, while helping to ensure reliable and effective communications and data transmission. Staff is still present on the summit at 4 GeminiFocus night to operate the telescopes, but observations are boring observatories. The intent is to share costs conducted mostly off-site. with other facilities while never leaving them fully unattended. A similar model is used at the NASA InfraRed Tele- scope Facility (IRTF), though virtual private net- While we developed this project at Gemini, I deliber- Figure 1. work (VPN) connections and a simpler interface al- ately constrained the move to base facility operations Base facility low even greater flexibility for observers to connect only (vs. operations beyond Chile and Hawai‘i), to operations, in one worldwide. On the upper ridge of Mauna Kea, the set a well-defined objective for the project. Given form or another, is now commonplace United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT), UH budget constraints and all of the other activities on Mauna Kea. 2.2-meter, and Canada-France-Hawai‘i Telescope we’re managing as part of our transition plans, this The observatories (CFHT), are all fully remote-controlled from Hilo, seemed like a logical and prudent milestone to de- circled below, Honolulu, and Waimea. fine. Even though base facility nighttime operations including Keck, IRTF, UKIRT, UH will be the initial form of this new mode at Gemini, 2.2-meter, and An obvious concern with the absence of staff on-site we intend to use this as a bridge to broader engage- CFHT, all use is telescope safety and the ability to address problems ment and access of Gemini by our highly distributed remote observing that occur without any human intervention. Mainly, community in the future. Clearly the trend in global of some form today. The three this is addressed through the sophisticated use of communications is to increase bandwidth. This will facilities (indicated monitoring systems that continuously transmit data make it easier for astronomers at either dedicated by arrows) on –– like oil pressure in hydraulic drive systems, cool- sites, beyond Chile and Hawai‘i or their home insti- the upper ridge ant temperature, voltages on key electronic systems, tutions, to use easily accessible videocon and com- of Mauna Kea etc. In addition, cameras and microphones are used neighboring Gemini puter equipment, to conduct remote observations, are operated from to provide a network of “eyes” and “ears” for remote and/or eavesdrop on queue observations to evaluate Hilo, Honolulu, or observers. Remotely operated power distribution data being taken for their programs. Waimea. systems are integrated into facilities to make it pos- sible to power-cycle problematic control systems or shut off power-hungry electronics or compressors that do not need to be on during the day. While all of this adds to the complexity of a facility, this type of automation actually tends to increase its reliability when compared to more conven- tional approaches. In particular, through data log- ging, this approach to operating a complex facility makes it easier to trap developing failures in key subsystems before they cascade into serious prob- lems. All of this makes it possible to use predictive, not just preventive, maintenance, to reduce tele- scope downtime, cut costs, and improve efficiency. In addition, since we have well-established control Despite all of its benefits, Gemini’s reliance upon rooms in La Serena and Hilo and broadband com- queue observations has weakened the “organic” munications across all Gemini sites, and since the link that should exist between the observatory and telescopes overall are still quite new and modern, members of our user community. I am keen to nur- much of the core infrastructure needed to enable ture this link through more direct interaction be- this new mode is in place at Gemini already. tween the two. This link stands to enrich everyone involved. In this way, Gemini’s base facility opera- So, while pursuing this new operating mode carries tions plans are really just a segue to much more in- risks, from a technical standpoint Gemini is already novative and modern approaches to conducting ob- fairly well-poised to make this transition. As a final servations in the future — one that remains bright degree of safety in the entire system, and given the as we develop a sustainable and scientifically pro- propensity of remote observing elsewhere, we will ductive model to operate Gemini for years to come. pursue the formation of joint telescope nighttime support teams that are able to respond to unfore- Doug Simons is Director of the Gemini Observatory.
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