The Gemini 8m Telescopes Project Newsletter - June 1999

June 1999 - Number 18

Table of Contents

● A Message from the Director

● Gemini Project Update

● Instruments Update

● Process and Schedule for the First Semester on Gemini North

● Gemini System Verification

● Human Resources Update

● Dedication Supplement (graphical)

● The Gemini Facility Calibration Unit

● Gemini North Internet Upgrade

● PIO Initiatives

● US Gemini Project Office Report

● UK Gemini Project Office Report

● Canadian Gemini Project Office Report

● Australian Gemini Project Office Report

● Chilean Gemini Project Office Report

● Argentine Gemini Project Office Report

● Brasilian Gemini Project Office Report

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/bo_cover.html7/30/2004 3:46:14 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Message from the Director Message from the Director

A key facet of the human spirit, when confronted by the persistent great unknowns of our Universe, is our ability to look beyond the barriers of today, and dream a little.

And this is how the Gemini partners started the Gemini Project. Over nine years ago a group of astronomers from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada got together and believed that they could build an observatory with twin telescopes spanning both hemispheres. Each telescope would have the clarity and fineness of vision of the Hubble Space Telescope and each would have a vast single mirror with at least four times the collecting area of existing telescopes at that time.

We have ambitious requirements. By placing these large telescopes on the highest, clearest and driest sites on our planet, our goals are to provide our communities with the means to explore some of the darkest regions of our galaxy and investigate some of the furthest outposts of our known Universe. We want these telescopes to detect the trembling of molecules buried deep in the dark stellar nurseries of the Milky Way - giving us insights on how stars like our Sun were formed. We hope also to catch glimpses of other solar systems like our own. Ultimately, by detecting the heat from distant galaxies these telescopes will transport us back to a time when our Universe was less than a tenth of its current age, to a view of the Universe as it looked over 12 billion years ago.

Furthermore, we have to do this within a fixed budget.

As we move toward the dedication of Gemini North and open up our first telescope "for business," this is a good time to reflect upon how far the Gemini partnership has come in an extremely short period of time. This issue of the Newsletter contains a photo-chronology of Gemini North highlighting some of the remarkable events that got us to where we are today. It's been a busy and exhilarating time. The Gemini partnership has brought together the nations of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Argentina and Brazil to form the Gemini international partnership. First in Tucson and now in Hilo, Hawai'i and La Serena, Chile, working with our partners we have been able to assemble a team of some of the best scientists, engineers, managers and administrators. We have all been allowed to focus on a single mission, producing two of the worlds most powerful optical/infrared telescopes - all within budget and on schedule!

The debates, designs, and drawings that have occupied the Gemini team, our partners in many institutions, in companies across the globe and in the astronomical communities of seven countries are bearing fruit. We have brought together some of the best technologies in

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/director.html (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:15 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Message from the Director glass, concrete, steel and computer controls. On Mauna Kea in Hawai'i and on Cerro Pachón in Chile, we are nearing completion of two of the most complex and sophisticated telescopes in the world, the twin Gemini 8m Telescopes.

And it is easy to forget that these telescopes are only the machines and precision tools of astronomy. What turns a telescope into an Observatory are the people who live and work with these telescopes during the day and the observers who use the telescopes at night. So in Hawai'i and Chile we are now beginning to put together the next phase of this project, getting the people, labs, control rooms and offices in place to form a new observatory, the Gemini Observatory.

Sure we'll still have engineering problems to solve, computer code to write, and making the most of these telescopes will present us with ever-new challenges. However, after all the challenges, we always have to find a little time, perhaps between a meeting, on a flight, or on the drive home, to remember why we are doing all this!

At such times I find it useful to imagine a night on Mauna Kea or Cerro Pachón. Watching one of the 50 square meters of precision glass that is controlled to a fraction of a wavelength of light and standing below our 300 ton telescope structure that moves with almost magical precision, I await that moment when the observation begins and I'm transported into a magnificent cauldron of newly forming stars or perhaps even to the edge of the known universe. At such moments, I often recall a passage that Alan Dressler excitedly wrote in his book "The Voyage to the Great Attractor." In this book about our astronomical journey so far he wrote, "Only once in the evolution of a sentient species is this corner turned, and we who are alive now are that most fortunate generation, the people of the awakening."

Thanks to our project team, agencies, institutions and commercial partners, the Gemini Observatory is well prepared for this exciting threshold. The first millennium of astronomy is behind us and the new millennium is beckoning ahead - this a great place to start a journey!

Thanks everyone!

-Matt Mountain

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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As we approach the middle of 1999, both Gemini Observatory enclosures have nearly identical appearances from the outside. Silvery paint has recently been applied to the outside of the Gemini South dome (see back cover photograph), and both structures are well sealed from the elements. However, the views from within are quite different.

Inside the Gemini North enclosure, significant progress has been made in the integration of key telescope, mount and control systems and the commissioning phase has begun in earnest. Although the process has not been without its challenges, engineering first light images have been obtained through Gemini North (see inside front cover). As we approach the formal dedication on Mauna Kea in late June, we will begin to see the full potential of Gemini.

Inside the Gemini South enclosure, the azimuth track has been installed and is awaiting the construction of the mount and telescope structure - which is slated to begin in July. Key staff are preparing for the move to Chile for the ramp-up of Cerro Pachón activities. It is expected that things will progress quickly in Chile with the experience gained on Mauna Kea.

Because Gemini North has moved into the commissioning phase, while Gemini South is still under construction and integration, beginning with this issue we will present separate reports on both Gemini North and South. Following are highlights from the past 6 months at each site.

Gemini North After successful mount pointing tests using an integrated telescope control system and mount control system in late November 1998, another milestone was reached when the Gemini North primary mirror (M1) was successfully coated with aluminum on the night of December 2-3. Although the coating chamber has presented many challenges, after several months of workarounds and electromechanical rebuilding, the Gemini team was able to apply a good coating for the commissioning phase. Problems with the coating chamber are currently being addressed by PPARC.

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/update.html (1 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:19 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini Project Update The Gemini North secondary mirror (M2) was delivered in late 1998, and on December 14th, it was transported to the coating chamber at the Canada-France- Hawaii telescope for coating. Thanks to Barney Magrath at the CFHT, the secondary coating was excellent. After the coating was complete, M2 was packed up and stored until the telescope was ready for M2's installation in early January. Note: In the future,both M1 and M2 will be coated with protected silver in the Gemini chamber. However, due to problems that occurred near the end of the M1 coating process, this was impossible for the first coating on M2.

In the meantime, only two days after coating the secondary mirror, the primary mirror was installed into the telescope on December 16th. By December 23rd the summit team had successfully completed 3 nights of imaging with the guiding camera at prime focus and produced 0.6 arcsecond (FWHM) star images. To do this, the active optics system was used to nudge the mirror into a parabolic shape and "manually" dial out aberrations from the image. With this dramatic success, Gemini "stood-down" to give much needed time off for staff during the Christmas and New Year's holiday period.

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After the holidays and a few more nights of prime focus testing, the M2 system and the acquisition and guiding system were mounted to the telescope during the second week of January. Unfortunately, several problems appeared almost immediately. The M2 system developed an intermittent problem with the tilt system actuators that eventually led to the decision to ship the Gemini South system to Hawai'i as a back-up in case it couldn't be fixed quickly. The acquisition and guiding system displayed some camera hardware and software troubles, many of which were improved by teams working together at Hilo, from Canada, the UK and IGPO staff. As a result of these problems, the Gemini South M2 system was installed on Gemini North, but frame rates on the acquisition and guiding systems' peripheral wavefront sensor were significantly lower than specifications. However, framerates were considered usable for early commissioning work.

Throughout this period of troubleshooting, staff obtained valuable experience in remote operations of the telescope. Prior to the holiday break, the summit staff consisted of 10-12 individuals and by mid January this had been reduced to 2-3 on the summit at any one time. The remainder of the support staff were now able to operate the telescope from the control room in Hilo. Already, remote operation of the telescope has proven to be a great success during one of the most difficult problem solving periods that will likely be encountered.

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/update.html (3 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:19 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini Project Update While work on the M2 assembly and the acquisition and guiding system progressed in mid January, many other systems were being integrated and problems were being solved. This included integration of the interlock system and work on the cassegrain rotator that initially had problems with binding cable wraps. By the end of January the telescope was working reliably enough to produce sub-arcsecond images (0.6 arcseconds) with manual tweaking of the active optics and the secondary. The loop was also closed on the peripheral wavefront sensor, and guiding through the TCS was now possible. It was time to start working toward engineering first light images with the Infrared imager QUIRC, on loan to Gemini from the University of Hawai'i.

Unfortunately, the weather added additional delays, and mechanical problems with the acquisition and guiding system still presented some limitations. However, by late February images with QUIRC were possible without the cassegrain rotator and with manual software adjustments to the active optics mirror control and secondary positioning. The peripheral wavefront sensor was now used for limited (low frequency) tip-tilt capability of the secondary. On February 26th, a three band (JHK) infrared image of the star forming region Mon R2 was obtained and engineering first light was declared! (See image on inside front cover).

Following this milestone, the decision was made to discontinue imaging for about a month and use the month of April to take the mirror out of the telescope and work on key systems that were limiting performance and reliability. These included: wavefront sensors, the primary mirror lateral actuators that were experiencing leaks, the acquisition and guiding system and the M2 assembly.

In mid-April, the mirror was reinstalled in the telescope and most of the known problems were either solved or well understood with solutions well in hand. The slow peripheral wavefront sensor has been modified and is now approaching the specification speed of 200 frames per second. At least 100 frames per second will be available as we get back on the sky in May.

Additionally, in January and February, the Mirror Control System has been integrated into the Telescope Control System software and the Cassegrain rotator software has been integrated (but not yet tested).

As this issue went to press, it appeared likely that Gemini North would be back on the sky by early May and work will resume on closing the active optics loop and installing the UH adaptive optics system (Hokupa'a) on the telescope for high resolution imaging tests.

Gemini South The enclosure of Gemini South appears nearly complete from the outside, and work inside on the telescope and mount are still at the very early stages and only the azimuth track has been delivered and installed. Work on the telescope and mount will escalate during the second half of this year as staffing increases and it is anticipated that the telescope will be

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The mirror is currently in storage at REOSC in France and will remain there for most of this year. The secondary is nearing completion at Zeiss Optical in Germany and expected to be finished this summer. Zeiss Optical is also in the final integration phase in the construction of the Gemini South acquisition and guiding system.

The telescope, primary mirror assembly and coating chamber have all been delivered to Chile and are awaiting transport from port to the summit for installation and construction in July. The widest load (the azimuth track) successfully completed its passage to the summit and through the tunnel that was widened for this purpose.

Gemini South's dome is nearly complete and has been painted, and some of the fitout contract work is still behind schedule. However, this is not expected to effect the project's critical path.

As mentioned in the Gemini North report, the Gemini South fast tip-tilt system is currently installed on Gemini North and is expected to stay there. The tip-tilt system originally planned for installation on Gemini North will be transported to Chile for installation on Gemini South next year.

-Jim Oschmann and Peter Michaud

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Considerable progress has been made recently in the instrumentation program. ALTAIR, our facility adaptive optics system for Mauna Kea, passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) and now enters its fabrication phase, with a scheduled delivery to Hilo around the end of 2000. The system will be the first in the world to be altitude conjugated, providing wider corrected fields than is typically achieved in adaptive optics systems. It will also be delivered "laser ready," so it can be used with our future sodium laser projection system to provide nearly 100% sky coverage. In addition, Dr. François Rigaut has recently joined our staff as Associate Project Scientist for Adaptive Optics.

Since encountering major budget, schedule, and technical difficulties last fall, GNIRS has been significantly changed and appears to be heading back on track. The new design is considerably simplified mechanically, yet provides essentially the same level of performance and capabilities as was anticipated in the previous design. A Restart Review will be held this summer to evaluate the new design and management of GNIRS. Assuming a positive outcome from this review, completion of GNIRS will nominally occur in approximately 3 years.

At the time of this report, NIRI is entering its 3rd cool down in Honolulu. The first two have demonstrated that all key systems reach operational cryogenic temperatures and that mechanisms work properly when cold. We anticipate installing an engineering grade ALADDIN detector in NIRI for its next cold test, in order to evaluate the performance of its optics and the noise performance of the detector/controller system within the NIRI environment.

GMOS continues to make good progress, with the recent successful delivery of the large calcium fluoride field lenses, fabrication of a large number of lens mounts, much of the filter wheel and grating turret mechanisms, the mask exchange system, etc. The first GMOS will enter an intensive integration phase soon at the UK/ATC in Edinburgh, with delivery of this instrument to Mauna Kea in late 2000.

Our mid-infrared imager (T-ReCS) is making excellent progress at the University of Florida, with CDR anticipated this summer. In order to enhance the baseline capabilities of this instrument, a relatively low cost grating assembly was added recently to the design of T- ReCS to support low-resolution mid-infrared spectroscopy at 10 and 20 µm.

Likewise, HROS will hold its PDR this summer at UCL, as considerable progress has been

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/instruments.html (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:21 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Instruments Update made with its opto-mechanical design, flexure compensation system, etc.

The on-going Instrument Program is also launching a number of new instrument initiatives during the remainder of 1999, including a conceptual design study for a new high performance coronagraph for Gemini-South, design studies for advanced cryogenic multi- object spectrometer elements, and facility polarization units for both telescopes. Various options to "fill the gap" in our near-term infrared spectroscopy capabilities are now under review as well, through a combination of visitor and/or fast-track new instruments.

-Doug Simons

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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The first semester of open use on Gemini North ("2000B") will run from June 1st, 2000, until January 31st, 2001. (Thereafter, semesters will coincide with those typical for the national observatories i.e. Feb 1 - Jul 31 and Aug 1 - Jan 31). The call for proposals, together with all relevant information to support applications including telescope and instrument availability, capabilities and observing modes will be on December 1st, 1999. The primary source of this information will be the Science Operations section of the Gemini web pages - which already contain many preliminary details.

As described previously in this Newsletter (Issue 16, June 1998), the application process will consist of two phases. In Phase I, applicants will apply through their National Time Allocation Committees (NTACs) or National Gemini Offices (NGOs). The deadline for these applications will be January 31st, 2000. Scientific and technical assessment of these proposals will occur within each partner country with the NTACs due to meet separately during the week of March 13th, 2000. Following electronic transmission of the recommended proposals to Gemini before March 20th, 2000, and the construction of a draft queue and classical schedule, the International Time Allocation Committee (ITAC) will meet on April 6th, 2000. Final approval for the queue and schedule will be issued by the Gemini Director on or before April 10th, 2000. A coordinated notification of the successful applicants by Gemini and the NGOs will initiate the start of Phase II in which all queue, and most classical, programs will be defined in detail by the P.I.'s or their co-P.I.'s using the Observing Tool software.

-Phil Puxley

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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You are in: Schedules

Schedules Introduction

Contents: to Schedules Queue and schedule: Science & Engineering Semester Schedule This section includes: 2004A Queue Summary 2004A Classical Schedule ● the current queue and schedule ● the status of previous semester's observations 2004B Queue Summary ● information on the capabilities expected to be available in the 2004B Classical Schedule next semester Execution Log: 2004A GN | GS See the links in the contents list for full details. Database Snapshots: 2004A GN | GS Contents of previous schedules and queues are available: 2004B GN | GS ● Semester 2004B Quick Response & ToO ❍ classical schedule

Previous semesters ❍ queue summary

❍ night-by-night execution log: [see contents list] Available capabilities and ● Semester 2004A proposals: ❍ classical schedule Phase II Schedule: ❍ queue summary 2004A | 2004B ❍ night-by-night execution log: [see contents list] Available capabilities: ● Semester 2003B 2004A | 2004B ❍ classical schedule ❍ queue summary

❍ night-by-night execution log: GN | GS

● Semester 2003A ❍ classical schedule How to observe with Gemini Instruments ❍ queue summary Adaptive optics ❍ night-by-night execution log: GN | GS Telescopes and weather ● Semester 2002B Schedules and queue ❍ classical schedule System verification ❍ queue summary Data, processing and archives ❍ night-by-night execution log

Search and Help Desk ● Semester 2002A

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Recent changes ❍ classical schedule

❍ queue summary

❍ night-by-night execution log

● Semester 2001B ❍ classical schedule

❍ queue summary

● Semester 2001A ❍ classical schedule

❍ queue summary

● Gemini community observations with NIRSPEC (on Keck)

● Semester QuickStart ❍ queue summary

❍ queue log (detailed)

Last update February 8, 2004; Phil Puxley

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The Gemini Observatory Science Operations Plan

This article introduces several aspects of the Gemini Science Operations Plan. (For a more complete description see [1]). One of the key challenges, which impacts science operations in many areas, is to ensure that the telescopes can exploit exquisite site conditions when they occur whilst recognizing that the telescopes must be used effectively and efficiently a much larger fraction of the time.

Telescope Proposals

The main feature that distinguishes the Gemini proposal process from conventional ground-based telescopes is that it comprises two stages. The intent is not to subject unsuccessful applicants to the, necessarily time-consuming, detailed observation planning stage. Phase I applications, solicited twice yearly, will be made to the responsible body (National Time Allocation Committee, NTAC, or National Gemini Office, NGO) within each of the Gemini partners. These applications will be evaluated to establish their scientific merit as well as their technical feasibility. To serve this purpose, Phase I proposals must therefore contain a scientific justification, technical description of the instrument resources and time justification, proposer information, target details, scheduling constraints and availability of guide stars.

For queue programs the scheduling constraints define the poorest site conditions (e.g. image quality, cloud cover, IR or optical sky brightness) under which each observation can be carried out as well as any time constraints. In general the constraint details are still to be defined but will likely be based on the frequency of occurrence. Thus the image quality might be specified in one of four bins (best 20%- ile, 50%-ile, 90%-ile and unconstrained; the latter accounting for an extended tail in seeing distributions) with the actual encircled energy or Strehl ratio corresponding to these percentiles defined separately for several principal wavelengths.

Demonstration of the availability of guide stars, though not necessarily identification of the specific stars to be used, is an important aspect of the Phase 1 information, and its technical justification, because of the key role of peripheral and on-instrument wavefront sensors (WFSs) in delivering the image quality and guiding performance. The principal object catalogue for guide star selection will be the "second generation" Guide Star Catalogue (GSCII) presently under construction at STScI, with the 2-MASS point-source catalogue also of value, particularly in dark clouds.

Each NTAC (or NGO) will electronically transmit to Gemini two ranked lists of proposals it would like to see scheduled in order of scientific priority, one for classical programs and one for queue, together with the recommended time allocation. It is expected that the combination of the list and

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_98/sciops.html (1 of 8)7/30/2004 3:46:28 AM Gemini Newsletter #16 - Science Operations Plan recommended times will substantially exceed the expected allocation, to allow some degree of flexibility in merging the national lists. From simulations of the queue execution process [2] it is anticipated that this overloading will be in the range 25-40%, although this value is subject to variations in site conditions about which we have presently only sparse information.

The International Time Allocation Committee (ITAC) consists of representatives from Gemini and the NTACs, and is advisory to the Gemini director. It meets to consider modifications to the draft schedule and draft queue required by conflicts identified in the merging process and subsequent execution simulation. If necessary, programs may be moved from one observing mode to the other, or additional programs may be substituted from the NTAC lists, based on the best scientific judgment of the ITAC. The final recommended schedule and queue are forwarded to the Gemini director for approval.

The Observing Tool

Each successful proposal will be assigned a contact scientist (CS) who is the Gemini representative for that program. For queue programs the CS is responsible for ensuring that all information required to execute the program is available to the observer. This information is submitted in Phase 2 of the application process. Phase 2 proposals are developed using the Observing Tool (OT) JAVA software distributed to all proposers. The OT allows the queue investigator to work directly with the Phase 2 database at the Gemini sites, or off-line, via a graphical user interface to define completely their observations, select and sequence instrument, telescope and data processing configurations, refine Phase 1 positions, describe acquisition requirements and constrain observation scheduling by grouping, chaining or specifying temporal controls.

The OT is no less important for classical observers, as well as the Gemini queue observing staff, as it provides the instrument user interface and the means for constructing simple or complex sequences of observations at the telescope. Some of the features of the OT, and the deep level of integration between the observatory and telescope control systems and the data handling system, are best illustrated via a science scenario.

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Let us suppose we wish to observe the nearby M-type star GL229B to search for sub-stellar companions. The observations will make use of the near-infrared imager and employ a differential technique observing alternately in two narrow-band filters in and out of the deep methane absorption near 1.6µm expected in the low-mass companion's spectrum. GL229A will be placed behind a cold coronagraphic occulting mask to reduce scattered light from the primary. Minimizing systematic effects is important in such observations and thus we have elected to intimately associate the calibration observations (detector dark current and flat field) with the science observation. Within the OT one such grouping method is to "chain" the observations (note the chain links in Figure 7a) which enforces their consecutive execution. The GL229B observation description from the OT is shown in an expanded hierarchy in Figure 7b.

Each major aspect of the observation is defined by its own component. For example, the "target list" component (Figure 8a) specifies the base pointing position as well as the pre-selected guide stars to be used by the peripheral and on-instrument wavefront sensors, and the "NIRI" component (Figure 8b) defines the initial instrument configuration. The target list may be viewed graphically (Figure 9) using a representation of the telescope field with overlays of the wavefront sensor positionsand sensor constraints, possible (catalogued) guide stars, telescope sequence positions and science field. The image of the field may be drawn from sky survey images, images from other telescopes, or images from the Gemini acquisition camera or science instruments.

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Selection of this observation for execution causes several parallel actions. The telescope slews to the target, the peripheral and on-instrument wavefront sensors position themselves in the expected locations to receive light from the guide stars and the instrument camera and filter mechanisms adopt the desired configuration. Often, and particularly in this instance, the observing team would have configured the control system to pause before the observing sequence itself is started to allow fine adjustment of the telescope position for target acquisition.

In this case the observing sequence is rather simple involving numerous repetitions of successive exposures through the two filters. However the OT also allows complex sequences to be built up by iteration over any of the instrument mechanisms and co-ordination with telescope motion. Likewise the on-line data processing system can be pre-configured by the OT to reflect the data-taking

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_98/sciops.html (5 of 8)7/30/2004 3:46:28 AM Gemini Newsletter #16 - Science Operations Plan sequence by attaching recipes driving IRAF (or IDL) scripts at any of the nodes in the observation hierarchy. Examples might be for dark current subtraction and flat-fielding after each exposure ("Observe" node in Figure 7b), differencing of the two filter images ("NIRI iterator' node) and combination of accumulated data ("Repeat" node). Each of the intermediate or final data processing products may be displayed in a variety of formats on a quick-look display. The intent of this system is to provide real-time quality assessment to the observers so that they may adjust details of the observation.

A "library" of commonly executed observation and data processing configurations and sequences is provided as part of the OT which may be cut-and-pasted to accelerate program definition.

Scientific Support

Scientific support for users of the Gemini telescopes will be provided by a combination of Gemini staff and the National Gemini Offices (NGOs). Broadly, Gemini will be responsible for observation execution, on-site support, providing expert response to user queries and as the control authority for the release of general information and data. The NGOs will be responsible for pre- and post- observation support and will be the first point of contact for user queries. It is not expected that each NGO will maintain a full complement of staff capable of responding to queries in all areas, instead a distributed support network, involving collaborative support amongst the partners, is envisaged. We are presently exploring commercial help desk and knowledge base solutions to managing this distributed support activity. It is anticipated that the Gemini scientific staff will be further augmented by extended visits from astronomers in the Gemini community who can contribute their wide experience and expertise to the operation of the facility and help foster a lively scientific culture.

The planned Gemini science support staff totals about 33 FTE and includes an associate director at each site, as well as an associate director for instrument and facility development, fixed-term science fellows (5-6 at each site), long-term staff astronomers (3-4 at each site) and system support associates (6 at each site). Several aspects of the interaction between the staff during routine operations can be seen in Figure 10 that illustrates the daily cycle of operations.

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There are three shifts, effectively providing continuous staffing:

● Shift #1 runs from 11am until 7pm and is executed by a Gemini staff scientist from the sea- level operations room. In this shift scheduling tools and weather predictions are used to draw up plans for the nighttime observations, calibrations and instrument checks are performed using the facility calibration unit when permitted by engineering and maintenance activities, and the telescope and enclosure are conditioned. The latter involves establishing equilibrium between the dome air, telescope structure and mirror temperatures with the expected air temperature, as well as setting the mirrors' rate of change (dT/dt), for the start of nighttime observing. To meet the stringent image quality requirements, the mirror surface must be maintained within ½°C of the ambient temperature. Depending on the accuracy of the weather forecast, the shift operator may use the scheduler with a number of different sets of conditions and "policies" (describing the combination of parameters affecting queue execution) to construct several nighttime plans using the Observing Tool to link together pre-defined observations from a number of different programs.

● Handover to shift #2 occurs at 6pm, commencing with the arrival of the nighttime observing team, Systems Support Associate and staff or visiting observers, at the summit. This provides an overlap of one hour for shift #1 to update the second team on the system status, calibrations and to discuss the observing plan. However, the queue observer has the minute-by-minute responsibility for the decision of what observation to execute and, after evaluation of the current environmental conditions or if an instrument is malfunctioning for example, may choose to switch programs in a way not reflected by the possible plans. The queue observer is also responsible for understanding the programs in sufficient depth to know how to make the

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_98/sciops.html (7 of 8)7/30/2004 3:46:28 AM Gemini Newsletter #16 - Science Operations Plan observations and how to evaluate the success of the observations. Medium range schedules, typically drawn up 7-14 days in advance from models of the queue execution, will enable the contact scientists to discuss likely upcoming programs with the queue observers.

● Shift #3 runs from 5am until 1pm and is carried out by a SSA at the sea-level facility. The one- hour overlap before the nighttime shift relinquishes control of the telescope at 6am allows for an update of that night's observations and communication of any faults or problems that might have occurred. It is anticipated that development of a near-infrared peripheral wavefront sensor will enable science observations in the thermal infrared to continue for several hours after morning twilight, to be controlled from sea-level and with safe telescope shut down verified by the daytime summit engineering team. The shift #3 operator will also be responsible for archiving the data and for arranging its distribution and quality assessment by the contact scientist.

Acknowledgements

The Gemini Science Operations Working Group has contributed greatly to the development of the Gemini science operations plan.

References

[1] Puxley, Gillett, Mountain and Simons 1998. SPIE 3349. (Gemini preprint #26).

[2] Puxley, P.J., 1997. SPIE, 3112, 234. (Gemini preprint #19).

-Phil Puxley Associate Project Scientist for Operations

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_98/sciops.html (8 of 8)7/30/2004 3:46:28 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini System Verification Gemini System Verification

System Verification at Gemini is the final step of testing prior to the use of the telescope by the Gemini community. This article describes the concept and philosophy of System Verification, the steps involved in completing it, the personnel directly involved in performing it, and the role of the Gemini community in the process.

I. System Verification - A Total Test

System Verification (SV) is a test of the total Gemini Observing system. It is distinct from commissioning, which is a separate activity that precedes SV. Commissioning of a piece of equipment, e.g. an observing instrument, is intended to verify that the equipment performs as anticipated, to characterize all of its available modes of operation and their performances, and demonstrate its capability to do science at the level for which it was designed. SV is intended to demonstrate that the entire observing system is in place, that scientific observations with the commissioned instrument can be planned and performed, and that resulting data are of the quality expected and can be handled in the manner specified for use by the Gemini user community.

II. Telescope Verification

Telescope verification is an integral part of System Verification. Much of the telescope verification for the Gemini North Telescope will be accomplished with the assistance of the Near Infrared Imager (NIRI), which currently is being completed at the University of Hawai«i as the first facility instrument to be delivered to Gemini. For Gemini South, the Cryogenic Optical Bench (COB), an existing near infrared imager and low-resolution spectrometer on loan from NOAO, will be used to support telescope verification. Some aspects of telescope verification will be achieved with other instruments. For example, chopping will be verified with the mid-infrared imager/spectrometers MICHELLE (Gemini North) and MIRI (Gemini South) and the definition, generation, and use of multi-slit masks with the optical multi-object spectrometer GMOS (Gemini North and South).

III. The Three Phases of System Verification

System Verification activities can be classified into three broad areas: Observation Definition, Observation Execution, and Observation Assessment.

The Observation Definition phase includes verifying the tools that the Gemini community will use to define observations on the Gemini Telescopes, the Image Quality Estimator (IQE), the Integration Time Calculator (ITC), and the Observing Tool (OT).

The IQE estimates the delivered image size based on the assumed atmospheric seeing,

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/sysver.html (1 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:30 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini System Verification target airmass, wind speed, angular distance between the target and reference stars used by the peripheral wavefront sensors and/or on-instrument wavefront sensors, and brightness of the reference stars. Extensions to the IQE or separate IQEs will be developed for each Gemini instrument and to support the use of the Gemini North adaptive optics system, ALTAIR, with the Gemini instruments.

The ITC calculates the integration time required to achieve the specified signal-to-noise ratio from the instrument performance and the seeing as well as other weather conditions specified by the science program. The performance of the IQE and ITC will be verified by comparison of their predictions with the results of the SV observations.

The OT will be used to define the SV observations. The observations will be chosen to demonstrate that the OT has the flexibility and scope to specify observation types of interest, that the process for selection of reference stars for the wavefront sensors functions properly, and that appropriate calibration observations can be defined. In addition, integration of the OT with scheduling tools, schedule reporting, and communications with telescope users will be verified.

The Observation Execution phase will verify the execution of the observations defined by the OT and will exercise the range of observing options to be supported by Gemini. These options include queue and classically scheduled measurements, remote observations, from the base facilities and some partner countries. Calibration observations, quality checking, and data distribution will all be verified.

The Observation Assessment phase will demonstrate that the data processing pipeline works properly for each instrument and that data distribution takes place as designed. It also will verify that the instrument capabilities are as advertised, that the contents of the users' manuals are correct and complete, and that baseline calibration procedures produce the information necessary to calibrate the SV data so that scientifically useful measurements result. In addition, it will exercise the user support documentation and support procedures. After verification of their quality during this internal assessment, the SV observational data will be made available to the Gemini community for further assessment and utilization, providing additional feedback to Gemini on issues such as data quality, instrument capabilities, and telescope performance.

IV. The System Verification Teams

System Verification activities will be performed by teams led by Gemini scientific staff who will define the SV observations, assure that all preparations are in place, carry out the observations, and provide the assessment of data quality and system performance. The SV teams will be made up of Gemini Scientific staff, Gemini Instrument Scientists, Gemini National Project Scientists, and two additional scientists, one each from Brazil and Chile. The teams will thus include scientists who are the most knowledgeable in the Gemini Observatory and its instrumentation, and who represent the Gemini partner perspectives.

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/sysver.html (2 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:30 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini System Verification They include individuals who are in the best position to implement any needed modifications to the telescope and instrument procedures and/or observing tools, if shortcomings are uncovered during the SV process.

System Verification tests will serve as valuable trial runs for Gemini staff and will train staff in instrument and telescope control, data reduction, and interacting with the Gemini community. They will also provide the Gemini National Office Scientists with firsthand experience in interacting with the Gemini Observatory, a role they will be responsible for supporting in their communities.

V. Observing Modes

System Verification will be performed for each observing mode of an instrument and telescope combination. "Observing mode" is a somewhat loose term describing a discrete type of observation where instrumental parameters such as spectral resolution and field of view, telescope parameters such as chopping and nodding, and/or external parameters such as background radiation, lead to significantly different types of observations. For example, imaging and grism spectroscopy with NIRI constitute two modes of the instrument. SV for each of these modes need not include every filter or wavelength, but surely will include observations in both the thermal ( 2.5µm) and non-thermal ( 2.5µm) infrared. Likewise, for GMOS long slit spectroscopy and multi-slit spectroscopy are two different modes requiring two sets of SV observations; one would not assume that because one of them works that the other does as well.

At the present time the observing modes of each Gemini facility instrument under development are being specified by the SV teams, led by the Gemini staff. Information on most of these instruments is available via the Gemini Web pages, starting at http://www. gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/instrumentIndex.html.

VI. Timing of SV and Availability of SV data

For each mode of each instrument, planned observations for system verification will be published prior to their execution, as part of the announcement for the first semester of availability with that mode of the instrument. This announcement will also include the expected (but not yet verified) performance of the instrument within the Gemini system. For NIRI, the first Gemini instrument to be delivered, SV plans will be published as part of the first semester of observing announcement for the Gemini Telescope on Mauna Kea.

For each mode of an instrument, the SV tests will be undertaken in the final months prior to availability of that mode to the community. Thus, the modes of NIRI advertised at the end of 1999 will be system-verified in the spring of 2000. SV for each mode of each instrument will be accomplished in no more than two clear nights. Note that as a result of the SV tests, the earlier description of the instrument's performance may require modification.

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/sysver.html (3 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:30 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Gemini System Verification In general not every mode of an instrument will be offered initially. Only those modes that have been system-verified successfully will be made available to the Gemini communities.

In summary, the SV observations will be selected by SV team members and approved by the Gemini Director. They will span a wide range of targets and perspectives and the SV teams will be responsible for providing written, in depth assessments of SV observations and mode verification within two months of data acquisition. The data obtained during SV will be made available by ftp to the international Gemini community and the assessments will be published on the Gemini SV web pages. Community participation in the further evaluation and assessment of the SV observations will help ensure that Gemini is a success from the first date of scheduled observations.

-Tom Geballe and Fred Gillett

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Instruments Overview Gemini Instrumentation

Contents: Help pages are available for instruments as follows: Instrument List ● Gemini North - list of current and planned instruments (in Wavelength and Resolution Regimes alphabetical order) and table (arranged by wavelength) ● Gemini South - list of current and planned instruments (in Tools: alphabetical order) and table (arranged by wavelength) Integration Time Calculators ● Retired instruments no longer available. Help with ITC: The expected instrument availability in the current and next output results semester is given in the schedules section. calculation methods source brightness and An overview of the on-going instrument program (c1997) describes spatial profile future instrument and facility capabilities currently under consideration or development.

How to observe with Gemini Instruments Gemini North - list of instruments Adaptive optics Telescopes and weather ● Altair (formerly known as GAOS; facility AO system) Schedules and queue ● GCAL (facility calibration unit) System verification ● GMOS-North (optical multi-object spectrograph and imager) Data, processing and archives ● GPOL (facility polarisation modulator)

Search and Help Desk ● Michelle (mid-IR imager/spectrometer)

● NIFS (near-IR integral field unit spectrograph) RSS feed of web changes ● NIRI (near-IR imager with grism spectroscopy)

Gemini North - table of instruments

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/instrumentIndex.html (1 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:32 AM Gemini Instrument Overview

Other Visible Near-IR Mid-IR facilities

GMOS (multi- NIRI (imager Michelle Altair object with grism ( imager/ (formerly spectrograph spectroscopy) spectrometer) known as and imager) GAOS; facility AO system)

NIFS (integral GCAL field unit (facility spectrograph) calibration unit)

GPOL (facility polarisation modulator)

Gemini South - list of instruments

● Acquisition Camera (optical imaging)

● bHROS (bench-mounted high-resolution optical spectrograph)

● GCAL (facility calibration unit)

● GMOS-South (optical multi-object spectrometer and imager)

● GNIRS (near-IR spectrograph)

● GPOL (facility polarisation modulator)

● GSAOI (near-IR imager for use with adaptive optics) ● NICI (near-IR coronagraphic imager)

● Phoenix (high resolution near-IR spectrometer)

● T-ReCS (formerly known as MIRI; mid-IR imager and spectrometer)

Gemini South - table of instruments http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/instrumentIndex.html (2 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:32 AM Gemini Instrument Overview

Other Visible Near-IR Mid-IR facilities

GMOS (multi- Phoenix (high T-ReCS GCAL object resolution (formerly (facility spectrograph spectrometer) known as calibration and imager) MIRI; imager unit) and spectrometer)

bHROS (high- GNIRS GPOL resolution (spectrograph) (facility spectrograph) polarisation modulator)

Acquisition NICI Camera (coronagraphic (optical imager) imaging)

Retired instruments

The following instruments are no longer available. Their web pages will be available indefinitely, to support data processing and analysis of distributed and archived data, but may not be updated.

● NIRSPEC (near-IR spectrograph on Keck) was offered to the Gemini community for limited use during 2000-2001. ● OSCIR (mid-IR imager/spectrometer) was offered as a visiting instrument, loaned by University of Florida for early science on Gemini North and, more recently, on Gemini South. It was replaced by the facility mid-IR instrument T- ReCS. ● Hokupa'a / QUIRC (natural guide star adaptive optics system and its near-IR camera) was offered as a visiting instrument, loaned by University of Hawaii for early science on Gemini North. It is due to be replaced by the facility AO system Altair. http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/instrumentIndex.html (3 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:32 AM Gemini Instrument Overview

● Flamingos-I (near-IR imager and multi-object spectrometer) was offered as a visiting instrument, loaned by University of Florida, on Gemini South. ● CIRPASS (near-IR Integral Field Unit spectrograph) was offered as a visiting instrument, loaded by University of Cambridge, during 2002-2003.

Last update August 18, 2003; Phil Puxley

http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/instrumentIndex.html (4 of 4)7/30/2004 3:46:32 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Human Resources Update Human Resources Update

The strategic vision and science initiatives of Gemini continue to make their mark upon the human resources efforts in recruiting "the best and brightest". We are pleased to note that Dr. François Rigaut (formerly of ESO) has joined the Gemini team as the Associate Project Scientist for Adaptive Optics. new additions to the scientific staff include former Head of UKIRT Operations, Dr. Tom Geballe; Dr. Inger Jørgensen from the University of Texas at Austin; and Dr. Ted von Hippel from the university of Wisconsin. We were very fortunate to find internal sources to meet some of our promotional and replacement needs. Dr. Doug Simons was promoted to head of Instrumentation as we looked to the needs of our instrument program. Eric Hansen was promoted to Systems Engineering Manager after the departure of John Filhaber in January, 1999. The Human Resources Department is constantly responding to the on-going and changing work environments of Gemini, in order to have a positive impact on the organization's mission.

Please look for our booth at the AAS meeting in Chicago in June where new opportunities to work on the Gemini team will be announced, or visit our Jobs Page at our Web site.

-Melissa Welborn

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/hr.html7/30/2004 3:46:33 AM Employment Opportunities - Jobs - Careers Employment Opportunities with Gemini

The Gemini Observatory concept began in the early 1990s when the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada forged a partnership to build a state-of-the-art 8-meter class observatory. With the resources available, the partnership realized it could build twin telescopes and by locating them in both hemispheres, provide complete sky coverage. Thus, the Gemini Observatory Project was born.

Today, the twin 8-meter Gemini telescopes, located on Hawai`i's Mauna Kea and Chile's Cerro Pachon, represent the pinnacle of technology, engineering and scientific exploration. The partnership has grown to include Australia, Brazil, Chile and Argentina and now provides any astronomer from the multi-country partnership with two of the most powerful optical/infrared telescopes to ever gaze skyward.

*How to Apply | Information About Hawaii and Chile

*Note: Applications that do not conform to the specific requirements of the position will not be considered.

GEMINI OBSERVATORY Recruitment Notice - July 2004

Information Systems Group Unix and Network Administrator

Mechanical Tech Group Mechanical Technician

Electronics/Adaptive Optics Senior Electronics - Laser Group Technician

INFORMATION SYSTEMS GROUP

http://www.gemini.edu/project/announcements/jobs.html (1 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:35 AM Employment Opportunities - Jobs - Careers

UNIX AND NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR - Hilo, Hawaii

Seeking a talented UNIX/Network Administrator to implement, test, deploy, and maintain UNIX- based systems and Cisco network infrastructure as well as support PC-based systems and phone and video systems. Responsibilities and duties include: administer the Gemini North UNIX-based systems comprising Solaris (7, 8, 9), RedHat Linux 9, RHE3, and Mac OS X; support Gemini North enterprise network infrastructure administration comprising Cisco 6509, 5500, 5200, 3550, 2950 routers/switches and PIX 525 firewalls; maintain UNIX hardware and peripherals comprising Sun Microsystems, Penguin Computing and Apple Computers servers, workstations, DLT library, ACNC Jetstor and RAID; and administer NIS+, DNS, DHCP, RAID and NFS servers, using Solstice and SMC.

Minimum requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience; certification in Solaris, RedHat, or Cisco; and five years experience in UNIX and network hardware and software. Must have good communication skills, the ability to work independently and as a member of a team. Must be able to manage multiple tasks/ projects simultaneously. Must have the ability to work with continual deadline pressure, handle complex technical issues and provide timely solutions.

Resumes and cover letters must be received by July 30, 2004.

*How to Apply

MECHANICAL TECH GROUP

MECHANICAL TECHNICIAN - Hilo, Hawaii

Current opening for a Mechanical Technician to work on a diverse array of mechanical systems on Mauna Kea. Requires experience maintaining and modifying precision instrumentation mechanisms, telescope hydraulic systems, chilled water systems, HVAC systems, compressed air systems, gaseous helium systems, and large electric motor-driven equipment. Must be able to work at 14,000 ft elevation. Must have clean driving record, valid driver’s license, and ability to drive 4-WD vehicle.

*How to Apply

http://www.gemini.edu/project/announcements/jobs.html (2 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:35 AM Employment Opportunities - Jobs - Careers

ELECTRONICS/ADAPTIVE OPTICS GROUP

SENIOR ELECTRONICS - LASER TECHNICIAN - Hilo, Hawaii

The Gemini Observatory is procuring a 20W diode-pumped solid-state laser system to be installed on the Gemini North 8m telescope, on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii, in the fall of 2004. The laser system will be a major subsystem of the Gemini North Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF). The beam produced by this laser will be projected to the sky to create an artificial star for use as a reference source by the Gemini North Adaptive Optics system and thus provide a means to correct for atmospheric turbulence that distorts astronomical images at the telescope focus. The LGSF and AO systems are designed to enhance the capability of our World Class optical and infrared instrumentation.

We are looking for a talented technician to support the Electronic/Instrumentation operations and, in particular, the Laser Guide Star Facility. The successful candidate will be part of the Engineering and Instrumentation group supporting the telescope and instrumentation systems with the added responsibility for the daily optimization, operation and maintenance of the solid- state laser. This individual will support the Adaptive Optics Group and work closely with the Laser Systems Engineer. He/she will be responsible for the preparation of the laser system prior to night observing and will also participate in the operation, maintenance and repair of the optical subsystems of the Gemini North Laser Guide Star Facility.

The position requires a strong background in electronics, lasers, optics, and related electronics devices. Experience and proficiency in laser cavity optical alignment, operation of mode- locked ND: YAG diode-pumped solid-state lasers and non-linear optics is highly desirable.

The nature of the job may require the applicant to work a portion of the time at night at the Mauna Kea summit. It is also expected that the successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in the installation, integration and tests of the Gemini South Laser Guide Star Facility at the Gemini South 8m telescope atop Cerro Pachon in Chile. (The Gemini South LGSF will use a 50W laser system to project five laser beams and create five artificial stars for use with a multi-conjugate adaptive optics system.)

Required Education:

● Minimum AS degree in electronics technology or equivalent training, such as military training or Trade School Certification.

http://www.gemini.edu/project/announcements/jobs.html (3 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:35 AM Employment Opportunities - Jobs - Careers

● 4 Years experience as an electro-optical technician or equivalent experience.

● Knowledge and experience of laboratory procedures, including safe use of lasers.

Required Skills:

● Requires technician experience, and ability to read and interpret schematics, engineering sketches, and utilize complicated drawings and specifications.

● Demonstrated ability to assemble and test optical hardware with precision according to well-defined procedures.

● The position requires the ability to utilize electronic test devices such as Logic Analyzers, Oscilloscopes, optical detectors and other complex precision optical measurement instruments. Knowledge in the operation of Q-switched and/or mode- locked lasers along with opto-mechanics is a plus.

● Demonstrated ability to solve problems based on previous directly related or similar experience.

● Dexterity in handling delicate electronic and optical equipment along with normal vision (may be corrected with lenses).

● Knowledgeable in the use of Excel and Word. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required.

Applicants must be able to work at 14,000 feet elevation, must be fluent in English and must be able to travel and either possess or be able to obtain a valid passport for international travel. Initial training on the laser system will occur at the vendor's facility in Louisville, Colorado. Resumes must be submitted in English.

*How to Apply

http://www.gemini.edu/project/announcements/jobs.html (4 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:35 AM Employment Opportunities - Jobs - Careers

*How to Apply

Unless otherwise specified: Send current resume with cover letter relating your experience, education and background to the needs of the position, along with the names and contact information of three individuals familiar with your work/ credentials/qualifications from whom a reference may be obtained. Including salary requirements is normally required and is appreciated. All applicants must be fluent in English and be able to write, speak and read English fluently. Spanish a plus. All applicants are expected to be computer literate with the ability to use the Internet, e- mail and other applicable software applications. Applications that do not conform to the specific requirements of the position will not be considered.

GEMINI OBSERVATORY, Human Resources Department, 670 N. A`ohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720; E-mail: [email protected]; (No phone calls.)

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified women and minorities encouraged to apply. Operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

Information About Hawaii

Hawaii: Chile:

● Planet Hawaii ● Chile Reference Desk

● This Week Magazine ● Chile Resources

● Hilo's Hawaii Tribune-Herald ● Destination Chile

● Downtown Hilo ● US Embassy in Chile

● AstroDay Hawaii ● Santiago Times

● Consular Information Sheet

● The International School La Serena

● Banco de Chile

http://www.gemini.edu/project/announcements/jobs.html (5 of 5)7/30/2004 3:46:35 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement Gemini North Dedication Supplement

These pages celebrate the dedication of the Gemini North Observatory on June 25th-27th, 1999.

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_cover.html7/30/2004 3:46:38 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement Centerpiece

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_center.html7/30/2004 3:46:40 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement Back

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_back.html7/30/2004 3:46:42 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement - Glass

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_glass.html (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:44 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement - Glass

Image 1 - The Gemini mirror blank after "slumping" at Corning (March, 1995) Image 2 - The Gemini mirror blank with Gemini and Corning staff (October, 1994) Image 3 - Gemini mirror blank being lifted after "slumping" (January, 1996) Image 4 - Gemini mirror blank being inspected prior to shipment to REOSC in France for polishing (November, 1995) Image 5 - Secondary mirror at Zeiss Optical in Germany (January, 1998) Image 6 - The primary mirror on polishing machine at REOSC (September, 1996) Image 7 - Test screen being placed on mirror at REOSC in France (January, 1998) Image 8 - Primary mirror during transportation up Mauna Kea (June, 1998) Image 9 - Freshly aluminized mirror exiting coating chamber (December, 1998) Image 10 - Myung Cho attaches lateral actuators to primary mirror (December, 1998)

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_steel.html (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:46 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Special Dedication Supplement - Steel

Image 1 - Telescope mount structure (February, 1998) Image 2 - Telescope structure without top-end (may, 1998) Image 3 - Complete telescope structure with mirror installed (December, 1998) Image 4 - Panoramic view of interior with completed telescope looking down at mirror (December, 1998) Image 5 - Ground-breaking on Mauna Kea (October 7, 1994) Images 6-9 - One year's progress on the Gemini North enclosure (August, 1996 - August, 1997) Image 10 - The finished Gemini North enclosure with vents fully opened and observing slit partially opened (March, 1999)

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/d_steel.html (2 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:46 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - The Gemini Facility Calibration Unit The Gemini Facility Calibration Unit

Reliable characterisation of the instruments on Gemini is essential to achieve the best performance from the complete system of telescope plus instrument. The need for efficient, reproducible calibrations is reinforced by the adoption of queue scheduled observing as a primary mode of operation, and the growth of the use of archive observations to increase the scientific productivity of an observatory.

The Gemini telescopes will each be equipped with a Facility Calibration Unit (GCAL), located on one port of the Instrument Support Structure (ISS) and capable of providing calibration frames (flat-fields and arc spectra) for UV/optical and near infrared instruments. The scientific goals of the telescope and instrumentation (for example moderate field imaging and spectroscopy; observations from the atmospheric cut-off at 300nm to the near-infrared and beyond) place tight constraints on the GCAL design. GMOS and NIRI drive the need for wavelength calibration and flat-field observations over fields from the largest science field (7' diameter, 3' used by NIRI) but also with high spatial resolution. This requires efficient diffusion and transmission of the beams from the continuum sources. Correction of sky emission in the near-infrared, where the sky lines are ~100 times brighter than the object, requires signal to noise ratios of at least 103 on the flat field. One of the strengths of an 8m telescope is the ability to produce high-resolution spectra of faint objects. Gemini provides this facility across a wavelength range from the UV to the infrared. Specific provision is made in the Phase I programme with HROS (R~50000) and GNIRS (R~18000). The calunit will be capable of providing wavelength calibrations that do not significantly reduce the observing efficiency. This requires high throughput, since the faintest arc lines may be the only ones available in the observed spectrum. In taking this advantage to its limit, frequent wavelength calibration will be required to monitor the effects of flexure.

The GCAL Design

Figure 1 shows GCAL mounted on the instrument support structure. GCAL is mounted inside the support frame for the Acquisition and Guidance system electronics cabinets and shares those cabinets with the A&G.

Figure 2 shows more detail of internal layout of the calunit. The two mirrors shown pass the beam from the calibration lamps (not shown, but housed in the 'drum' at bottom of the picture) to the science fold mirror, which then directs the beam into the instrument to be calibrated. The GCAL optics reproduce the f/16 telescope beam so that the instrument sees the calibration beam as if it came from an astronomical source. A reflective optical train was chosen to meet the requirements on broad wavelength coverage. These mirrors reproduce the telescope pupil position to within a tolerance of 1% of the diameter, and with less than 2% blur. To do this, these 400mm diameter mirrors have complex figures; M1 is a toroid, M2 has an additional radially dependent sag. Also seen in Figure 2 is the filter wheel which contains neutral density and colour filters as required to modify the lamp output for certain instrument configurations.

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The illumination system contained in the drum in Figure 2 is expanded in Figure 3. The essential purpose of the illumination system is to match the étendue of the sources (typically 1mm2sr) to the étendue of the 7arcmin field (164mm2sr). Each lamp source must be diffused to fill the larger beam. It is this matching of the étendue which gives GCAL its largest advantage in throughput over more traditional calibration systems. Typically, an integrating sphere distributes the diffused beam into a hemisphere. Some fraction of the diffused beam (of order 1%) is transmitted into the instrument. With GCAL, the throughput is predicted to be up to 40%. The system of diffuser plus reflector shown in Figure 3 replaces the function of an integrating sphere. Light from the lamp is directed to the diffuser via a small fold mirror on the surface of the reflector. The beam is then scattered on either of two diffusing surfaces (for the infrared or optical). Some fraction passes out through the field lens and is imaged into the instrument; the remainder is reflected back to the diffusing surface. The reflectivity and surface finish of the reflector are important in achieving the predicted throughput. The finished surface will be aluminum, with a required rms surface roughness of 7nm.

There are six lamps in the calibration unit, two continuum sources and four spectral lamps. These are shown in Table 1 along with the instruments that are expected to use them. There are no hardware restrictions on which pairings are used. The performance of the calunit has been modeled for various configurations of each of the Phase I instruments. Table 2 shows the predicted exposure times, along with the science requirement, for the most challenging configurations.

Recent Progress on GCAL

The GCAL design has been developed at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre. A Critical Design Review was held in September 1998, and GCAL is now in the manufacturing and testing phase. In February, the reflectors were delivered. Initial tests of the uniformity and throughput of the system were carried out at the UK ATC. These tests indicate that both the uniformity and throughput of the final system will meet the science requirements. The pupil imaging mirrors are due to be delivered in May, by which time manufacture of the structural components will also be complete. The calunit for Gemini North is scheduled for delivery in September 1999, with the Cerro Pachón GCAL following in September 2000.

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Table 1: The expected use of the calibration sources by the initial instrument complement. Function Source calibration for GMOS, HROS ThAr and CuAr holow cathode lamps Flat-fields for GMOS, HROS QH lamp calibration for GNIRS Two pencil lamps; Ar, Kr Flat-fielding GNIRS, NIRI Infrared source - 1100K greybody (QH lamp available too)

Table 2: Predicted exposure times for various configurations of the Phase 1 Gemini instruments. Calibration Requirement Prediction ThAr mean separation is 0.2nm One line every 0.3nm (290nm to 1110nm) HROS Wavelength calibration At 600nm, lines with flux~1% of frame: To be measured with a signal/ the average bright line have S/ noise of 10 in 5s N=10 in <~10s. (S/N=8 in 5s) Signal/noise = 300 in 5s at S/N>300 in 5s for >~400nm 600nm HROS: Flat fields Signal/noise = 300 in <60s at S/N=300 in 60s at 310nm (s/ 310nm N=300 in ~20s at 350nm) At 600nm, lines with flux~1% of GMOS: Wavelength Signal/noise of 10 in 5s the average bright line have S/ N=10 in ~15s. (S/N=6 in 5s) Signal/noise = 300 in 5s at GMOS: Flat fields S/N>300 in 5s for >350nm 600nm At 2µm, lines with flux~1% of the A limit of 10s for an arc NIRS: Wavelength average bright line have S/N=30 spectrum in ~10s. Short camera, R=6000, met for >2µm Long camera, R=5400, s/n=500 in 10s for a flat-field with signal/ NIRS: Flat fields 10s at =2µm. noise=103 is adopted Requirement can be met at short wavelengths with the QH lamp for all configurations. OK for >J with infrared source. NIRI imaging: flat fields S/N=103 per pixel in 10s. S/N~100 obtained for

-Suzanne Ramsay Howat

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GCAL Project Scientist

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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In April it was announced that Gemini will receive $600,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support a significant expansion of the Internet connection speed between Gemini North on Mauna Kea, the Hilo headquarters in University Park, and the rest of the world. By coordinating the Gemini grant with a similar but different NSF grant recently made to the University of Hawaii's (UH) Information Technology Services, all of the Big Island observatories will share in the benefits of this much improved connection.

The improvement is especially important to Gemini because of our dependency upon remote observing and the immediate transfer of data over the Internet. The expansion will allow Gemini to accomplish our goal of connecting astronomers around the world in real time to the Hilo control center and the telescope on Mauna Kea.

Interim Director of UH's Institute for Astronomy, Dr. Robert McLaren said this about the significance of this news, "With ever larger and more sophisticated cameras and instruments showing up on Mauna Kea telescopes, such as Gemini, the need for increased bandwidth had reached a critical point. In one stroke, this innovative solution has solved Mauna Kea's data rate problems for the foreseeable future."

The unique collaboration between Gemini and UH allows the Gemini grant to compliment a recent $350,000 NSF grant to UH's Information Technology Services to upgrade its Internet facilities, including a data-rate increase for the Mauna Kea observatories from 1.5 to 6 megabits per second. Adding Gemini's funding will permit a further increase to 45 megabits per second and provide enough capacity to meet Mauna Kea's expected requirements for several years. It is anticipated that the upgrades will be complete by late 1999.

Gemini Operations Manager, Dr. Jim Kennedy, who wrote the proposal said, "By pooling our efforts and our funding, Gemini and the University of Hawaii together are increasing the Big Island observatories' and UH-Hilo's Internet speed by a factor of 30." Dr. David Lassner, Director of UH Information Technology Services, added "This partnership shows what is possible when you combine resources to solve common problems. This would have been prohibitively expensive if we had worked independently."

The increased bandwidth will also allow Gemini to share more of its findings with the public and will eventually include an extensive virtual tour and live webcasts to museums, planetaria and classrooms once scientific operations begin.

-Peter Michaud

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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A new initiative by the Gemini Public Information and Outreach Office has been funded by the National Science Foundation and will allow for expanded documentation of the project and the production of media resources for future PR efforts. Funding of the $126,000 initiative was announced in April and development of materials will begin immediately. Some of the materials are planned for release at the Gemini North dedication in June with the remainder of the materials to be produced over the next 12 months. Products from this initiative will include:

● Extensive video documentation of the Gemini South mirror move from Paris, France to Cerro Pachón, Chile. ● Photographic documentation of Gemini North and South including aerials, key structural elements and dramatic creative images. ● Production of animations showing how light passes through the Gemini telescopes and specifically how adaptive optics (i.e. ALTAIR) alters star light to produce sharper images. ● Production of animation sequences that show generic astronomical processes such as stellar/ planetary formation, active galactic nuclei, colliding galaxies and even how infrared radiation can reveal details through clouds of gas and dust.

In addition to these projects, the Public Information and Outreach office now has available several new products that include a new Gemini folder and conference display that were designed by the accomplished artist Jon Lomberg. Famous for his artwork on Carl Sagan's TV series "Cosmos," the Smithsonian's "Portrait of the Milky Way" and the opening scene from the movie "Contact", Mr. Lomberg designed these materials from his studio on the island of Hawai'i and they are now available for use by the partnership.

The display consists of 25 panels that create a mosaic which is assembled on a wall or standard conference display system. The main (82" X 52") graphic consists of a striking world map on a starry background with partner countries highlighted by starbursts. To keep the display useful for all partners, the limited text can be easily translated and additional information and images are attached to the display as needed for different audiences. Anyone who has not already arranged to have copies produced for them can contact the Public Information and Outreach Office for details.

The new Gemini folder solves the age-old problem of providing a brochure that is timely and appropriate for all audiences - from scientists to journalists. Because of our diverse audiences and the dynamic nature of a project like Gemini, the folder approach was used so that materials could be updated, translated, customized and adapted as needs change. 10,000 of the folders have now been produced and have been made available throughout the partnership at cost (about $1.40 US each).

Finally, the Gemini Media Resource WWW Page has been in operation for some time now and includes some of the better images that are available for general media use. If you haven't seen it, take a look at: www.gemini.edu/media/media1.html.

-Peter Michaud

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/pio.html (2 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:50 AM Gemini Observatory's Media Resource Page

The Gemini Observatory Media Resource Page

Dedication Media Resource Page | Dedication International Press Release Links

Your One-Stop Source for Information on Gemini

[Gemini North Dedication] [Gemini South Dedication]

[Current Press Releases] [Facts & Figures] [About Gemini] [Science Images] [Observatory Images] [Image Gallery] [Newsletters}

http://www.gemini.edu/media/media1.html (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:46:53 AM Gemini Observatory's Media Resource Page Note: For publication or display (electronic or otherwise), all images must be credited: "Photo Courtesy of Gemini Observatory" unless otherwise noted.

Peter Michaud / [email protected] / August 19, 2002

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Preparations in the US for the operations phase of Gemini include efforts both in instrumentation and in user support and liaison activities. The first Gemini North facility instrument, NIRI, a near-IR imager, is in its assembly and integration phase at the IfA in Honolulu. Following tests there, it will be shipped to Hilo for more testing before it makes its way up to the telescope later this year. NIRI will contain one of the ALADDIN InSb detector arrays from Gemini's very successful foundry run at SBRC in Santa Barbara. NIRI will also contain an array controller from NOAO, developed in a separate project aimed at providing identical controllers for all Gemini near-IR instruments.

Following a difficult period, the work on GNIRS, the Gemini near-IR spectrograph, has resumed with a repackaging of the optical design in order to alleviate concerns about flexure and thermal performance. A formal restart review will be held in July.

The Gemini mid-IR imager, known as T-ReCS, for Thermal Region Camera System, is well along in its design phase and will undergo critical design review this summer. A spectroscopic capability has been added to this instrument, which is a product of a group at the University of Florida led by Charles Telesco.

Work will soon begin on the first of the next generation of Gemini instruments, the near-IR coronagraph/ imager. This instrument will provide small to moderate field imaging capability with a coronagraph mode optimized for use with adaptive opics. Scientifically, it is expected to allow fundamental observations related to the search for extrasolar planetary systems and studies of their formation and evolution. A contract for the conceptual design of this instrument has been awarded to a group led by Douglas Toomey of Mauna Kea Infrared. Because of its relevance to NASA's Origins program, NASA has become interested in this instrument and may provide funds to support its construction.

US proposals for the Gemini telescopes will be integrated with those for NOAO and other telescopes, and this semester marks a significant step in that direction with the merger of the KPNO and CTIO proposal and TAC processes. Over the next year, time on Gemini North, the 6.5-meter MMT and the Hobby- Eberly telescope will be added as well.

US support activities will be focussed in Tucson and will be handled using existing scientific and current NOAO staff. Because of the international nature of Gemini, much of the support for users will be set up in a distributed way, with expert input from many places around the world.

-Todd Boroson

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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This will be one of the final reports from the UK Gemini Project Office for the Newsletter - we will soon be handing over our central and coordinating UK role in Gemini to the UK Gemini Support Group, which, after a competitive exercise, will remain at its current home, the University of Oxford Astrophysics Group. Pat Roche, Colin Aspin and Isobel Hook (currently based at Edinburgh University where she is working on GMOS) are the current team, and more staff will be added soon. They will be the first point of contact for the UK community as we start to exploit Gemini. Find out more about the team, and the services they'll provide at http://www-astro.physics.ox.ac.uk/GEMINI/.

The UKGPO will retain responsibility for those UK Work Packages that remain to be completed, and we have been concentrating recently on the Acquisition and Guiding, Wave Front Sensing and Coating Plant Work Packages. On that subject, the UKGPO would like to thank the following UK staff for their commitment and hard work, in many cases, above and beyond the call of duty!

On the A&G/WFS: Andy Weise, Sue Worswick, and Malcolm Stewart, Steven Beard, Sean Prior, and Chris Mayer and on the coating plant: Ron Lambert, Ken Maris, Bob Doswell, Trevor Warby, Harry Bach, and Brian Mack.

We also wish to acknowledge the following Gemini staff for their invaluable help: John White, Clayton Ah Hee, Jacques Sebag, Andy Foster, John Wilkes, Richard Brink, John Filhaber, and Corrine Boyer.

Other UK work progresses well, including MICHELLE, which is well into integration and testing. GMOS and GCAL are also progressing - as reported elsewhere in this newsletter.

-Alison Tonï & Simon Craig

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/ukgpo.html7/30/2004 3:46:55 AM U.K. GEMINI Support Group www Homepage

** Click here for a NO-FRAMES version **

News and Reminders

Version 1.6 of Gemini IRAF released; note this works with the most recent version of IRAF, 2.12.2!

2004B Queue summary and Classical schedule available

Jobs available at Gemini

Proposal Submission Information Gemini Help Desk Semester 2004B Call for Proposals Warning about Proposal Submission using the PIT! Proposal Submission and Guide Star Selection Test HTML Forms Download the PIT Gemini Observatory UK Mirror Help on Using the PIT U.K. Proposal Limitations

Observing Information Gemini Public Access Download the Phase II Observing Tool (OT) Instructions for Installation and Use of the OT About the UK Gemini Support Group Data/Science

GMOS Data Reduction Tutorial - Example Data and IRAF Scripts UK Gemini Partner Info Publically Available Gemini System Verification Data Gemini Science Image Gallery

Gemini User Resources http://gemini.physics.ox.ac.uk/ (1 of 2)7/30/2004 3:47:04 AM U.K. GEMINI Support Group www Homepage Ask the Gemini HelpDesk! The UK Gemini Users Committee Join the U.K. Gemini Majordomo Mailing List Jobs at Gemini!

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By the end of this year, astronomers will be preparing the first proposals for shared-risk observing on Gemini, and the Canadian Gemini Office is now putting most of its efforts into preparing for operations. A big step in this preparation was the recent recruitment of two Canadian Gemini Astronomers, Tim Davidge and Stéphanie Côté. Tim is no stranger to the Gemini community as he has been part of "Gemini Canada" since 1992. Stéphanie is a newcomer to Gemini, but she brings very valuable experience to the project. Her career has included two years at ESO in the user support group, with responsibilities for the NTT queue observing program.

During the coming months, Tim and Stéphanie, together with Jean-René Roy, plan to conduct an extensive outreach program to the scientific community that will provide basic information regarding instrument and telescope performance. Key events will include the Canadian Astronomical Society meeting hosted by St. Mary's University in Halifax Nova Scotia in June 1999, and a series of visits to various universities in the fall.

NRC is currently developing a Web-based proposal preparation tool for Canadian Phase 1 applications. A Web-based system was adopted for a number of reasons. First, the central Gemini observing database requires that target information be supplied in a certain format, and this is easily implemented with a Web- based system. Second, a Web-based system will provide applicants with access to an arsenal of specialized tools in a common location to facilitate, for example, guide star selection. Finally, it is anticipated that Canadian astronomers may submit proposals that request time on both CFHT and Gemini, and this is most easily done if the Gemini and CFHT time application forms have a similar appearance and format. The Canadian Gemini Phase 1 observing tool will have a look and feel that is very similar to POOPSY - the Web-based observing tool developed for CFHT by Daniel Durand and David Bohlender of the CADC. The first release of POOPSY proved to be highly popular, and 55 of the 64 proposals requesting Canadian time on the CFHT were prepared using this system.

CGO staff have also been assigned specific instruments to serve as the first point of contact with the Canadian user community. Tim will handle queries regarding NIRI, MIRI, ALTAIR, and QUIRC + UHAO while Stéphanie will be responsible for GMOS, NIRS, and MICHELLE. Of course, most of these instruments will not be available during the first year or two of Gemini operations.

As part of the effort for setting up the infrastructure to support Canadian astronomers and publicize Gemini to the Canadian public, a major rework and expansion of the Canadian Gemini Office Webpages is now underway. A set of public pages were created and are now reachable at http://gemini.hia.nrc.ca/ brochure/. This material includes a detailed description of the telescopes as well as the science goals at a layman's level, and can be copied or adapted by other partner countries should they wish to do so.

For the past several years, a large number of the NRC staff in Victoria have been involved in Gemini work. Our part of the Data Handling System has now been completed, and the Enclosure Control System was completed last year. The big projects - ALTAIR and GMOS - are still keeping us very busy, and we have a small amount of work still to do on the wavefront sensors. ALTAIR, the Gemini North adaptive optics system, successfully passed its Critical Design Review in February and we are very proud of the team for this success. We also wish to thank Peter Wizinowich of Keck for his able chairmanship of the review committee. Development of the two GMOS spectrographs is a collaborative effort with ATC and Durham University in the UK, and final integration of the first GMOS is scheduled to start this summer in

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Edinburgh.

Development of instrumentation of the size and complexity required for Gemini has been a learning experience for the Gemini partners who have been involved in this activity. It has proven very difficult for all of us to keep the costs and schedule under control and there have been common areas of technical problems, such as software. In an effort to draw upon our shared experience, Canada will host a workshop called "Lessons Learned" in Parkesville, BC this summer. The intent will be for all partners is to share their experiences so that we can all profit from the "lessons" and, we hope, avoid them in the future.

-Andy Woodsworth, Tim Davidge, and Stéphanie Côté

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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NRC-HIA Web Site Has Moved Site Web de l'IHA-CNRC a déménagé

The National Research Council of Canada's Le site Web de l'Institut Herzberg d'astrophysique du Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics' web site has Conseil national de recherches Canada a déménagé. moved. Please visit it at: hia.nrc.gc.ca Veuillez le visiter à iha.cnrc.gc.ca

Due to this move and the restructuring of our site, Le déménagement et la restructuration de notre site old bookmarks will need to be updated. Sorry for nécessite la mise à jour d'anciens signets. Nous nous the inconvenience. excusons de cet inconvénient.

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In the six months since the last Newsletter, the interaction of the Australian community with the International Gemini Project has been given a formal structure. In particular, an Australian Gemini Steering Committee (AGSC) and an Australian Gemini Science Advisory Committee (AGSAC) were formed. The Steering Committee, which is chaired by the Australian IGP Board member, Prof. Lawrence Cram, provides oversight of all Australian Gemini activities. It also provides advice to the Australian Research Council (ARC) on Gemini related matters. The Science Advisory Committee, which is chaired by Dr. Gary Da Costa, Australian Project Scientist, is the primary means through which the wider Australian astronomy community is involved with Gemini activities. Both committees have memberships that are representative of the Australian community likely to use Gemini.

Other recent highlights include:

1) As part of the preparation for future Gemini telescope time proposals, a review of the policies and procedures of ATAC (Australian Time Allocation Committee) has been carried out. The ATAC currently allocates Australia's share of time on the Anglo-Australian Telescope, and will allocate Australian Gemini time as well. The review suggested no major changes for the "Gemini era'' ATAC, but did emphasize that a broad distribution of scientific expertise among the committee members must be maintained. The Chair of ATAC will also serve as Australia's representative on the Gemini International Time Assignment Committee.

2) At the September, 1998 Instrument Forum meeting, an Australian proposal for a Concept Design Study of the Cerro Pach—n Near-IR Coronagraph/Imager instrument was recommended for funding. However, given that this instrument may now be funded by NASA through the USGPO, this Concept Design Study will not proceed. At the same meeting, the Instrument Forum recommended that a development study, focussing on the testing of near-IR fibers and their use in fiber based deployable Integral Field Units, be funded at the Anglo-Australian Observatory. This study has now commenced and will involve close collaboration with similar Gemini Near-IR Multi Object Spectrograph development studies being carried out in the UK.

3) At the March, 1999 Instrument and Operations Forum meetings, an invitation to hold the September, 1999 round of meetings in Australia was accepted. This will allow these representatives of the Gemini partners to have a first-hand look at the astronomical facilities within Australia.

-Gary da Costa

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

http://www.gemini.edu/newsletter/jun_99/ausgpo.html7/30/2004 3:47:08 AM Gemini Newsletter #18 - Chilean Gemini Project Office Report Chilean Gemini Project Office Report

1. Because of many duties associated with her work in Chile, Dr. Maria Teresa Ruiz will no longer be able to help us as Project Scientist in Chile. Beginning on May 1st, Dr. Luis Campusano will start serving as the new Chilean Project Scientist. Dr. Campusano is associate professor of astronomy at Universidad de Chile and has been Acting Chilean Project Scientist with Gemini in the past. His main research interest is the study of the large-scale structure of the Universe, quasars and gravitational lensing. We welcome Dr. Campusano in the Gemini community and would like to thank Maria Teresa Ruiz for her valuable contribution to the project.

2. The Gemini Board will be meeting in Santiago between May 17th - 18th. Conicyt and AURA are helping to organize the meeting. Prior to that, there will be a visit to Cerro Pachón together with some local authorities (Governor and House Representatives).

3. The agreement between Universidad de Chile - Yale and U. Catolica-Princeton to support an astronomy graduate program was signed last year and is working very well. This program has significantly increased the scientific activities as well as the number of postdoctoral fellows at those two university centers.

4. We are finishing the contents for a Chilean Web site. It will soon be available to the whole Gemini community.

-Oscar Riveros

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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The Argentine Gemini Committee is organizing a workshop under the title of, "Argentine Astronomy and the Gemini Project" that will be held on May 27th and 28th, 1999, at the Astronomical and Geophysical Sciences Department, National University of La Plata. Astronomers from various astronomical institutions within Argentina will make presentations on the proposals they would submit when applying for observing time with Gemini. Beatriz Barbuy will represent Brazil at the meeting, and Miriani Pastoriza, from Brazil, who has cooperative projects with Argentine astronomers, will also attend. We will also have a representative from Chile. The representatives from Brazil and Chile will describe projects that their respective communities have in mind for Gemini and the possibilities of joint projects with Argentine astronomers. It is expected that the Gemini Project will be represented at the meeting and that there will be a lecture about Infrared Astronomy with Gemini. Hugo Levato will explain the procedure to be followed for submission of observing proposals. The meeting will be funded by the Faculty of Astronomical and Geophysical Sciences of the National University of La Plata and by the Argentine Astronomical Association.

Our national observing facility (CASLEO) has already worked out an Application Form for submission of observing proposals via the WWW that will be adapted to the requirements of Gemini.

-Jorge Sahade

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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The Laboratorio Nacional de Astrofisica (GPO) has nominated the first Time Allocation Committee for Gemini. This committee consists of: Dr. Carlos Alberto Torres (LNA-president); Dr. Augusto Damineli Neto (IAG-USP); Dr. Franciso Jablonski (INPE); Dr. Claudia Mendes de Oliveira (IAG-USP); Dr. Marcio A. G. Maia (ON) and Dr. Miriani G. Pastoriza (IF- UFRGS). Members will serve for a maximum of two years, and each year half of the committee will be renewed.

The SOAR Project has been signed by all members as of January, 1999, and was incorporated by March 1999. Participants in the project include: 30% CTIO-NOAO, 31% Brazil, 17% University of North Carolina, 12% Michigan State University and 10% Chile. The final specifications include a 4.2m mirror, 0.18 arcsec image quality, f/16 focal ratio and the possibility of sharing instruments with Gemini. The SOAR project is also still interested in collaboration with Gemini for the Near-Infrared Spectrograph.

In spite of the economic difficulties Brazil has faced lately, the Minister of Science and Technology, Bresser Pereira, has recently reiterated full support for the international astronomical projects.

-Thaisa Storchi Bergmann

Ruth A. Kneale / [email protected] / August 1999

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