Gemini Planet Imager

The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is the next generation adaptive optics instrument being built for the Gemini Telescope. It is an extreme adaptive optics coronagraphic imager that can detect faint objects or structures around much brighter host objects.

• GPI will produce diffraction limited images at 0.9 - 2.4 µm. Bright natural guide stars (I<9 mag) are required for optimal performance of the GPI adaptive optics system. The system will be able to see objects 107 times fainter than their parent star at separations of 0.2-1 arcsec in a 1-2 hr exposure. The instrument will provide spectroscopy of any object observed. Warm planets (up to a Gyr in age) can be detected thereby through their infrared light. One can also measure the polarization of light to see faint disks of dust from other solar systems' comet and asteroid belts. Simulation of the final image produced by GPI illustrating the color information • While it is optimized for planet detection, GPI will also be a present in the integral field spectrograph. powerful tool for studies of stellar binaries, white dwarfs, L and T The light from the central bright star is dwarfs, evolved stars, and solar system objects. suppressed by the adaptive optics system and coronagraph. The northern object • First light and science operations are planned for 2011. GPI (white) is a background object and the successfully held its preliminary design review in May 2007. Its object below the star (green) is a fainter critical design review will be in mid 2008. Jovian mass planet. The white dots near the planet represent the position of the • GPI will be deployed initially at Gemini South, an 8.1-m planet relative to the star over 10 years (1 telescope located on Cerro Pachon in the Chilean Andes. Later, dot/year). GPI may also be used at Gemini North, located on Mauna Kea.