Figure 2.
The sequence above shows
infrared imaging from the
FLAMINGOS-2 imager and
spectrograph for a period
of over two weeks. The top
row features images in the
H-band, a shorter (bluer)
wavelength of infrared light.
The bottom row focuses
mostly on K-band images,
which are longer (redder)
wavelengths of light. This
sequence reveals how the
object became redder as it
faded from view.
Credit: Gemini Observatory/
NSF/AURA/Edo Berger
(Harvard), Peter Blanchard
(Harvard), Ryan Chornock
(Ohio University), Leo
Singer (NASA), Mansi
Kasliwal (Caltech), Ryan Lau
(Caltech) and the GROWTH
collaboration, Travis Rector
(University of Alaska), Jennifer
Miller (Gemini Observatory)
22
Mansi Kasliwal, Assistant Professor of As-
tronomy at Caltech, presented her team’s
findings at the Caltech press conference in
Pasadena and recalls the excitement of the
discovery: “Within 23 minutes of submitting
our observing proposal to hunt for infrared
photons it was approved by the Gemini Di-
rector!” Kasliwal, who was Principal Inves-
tigator of the worldwide Global Relay of
Observatories Watching Transients Happen
(GROWTH) team studying the event, contin-
ues, “On that first night the 8-meter Gemi-
ni South telescope successfully captured
some of the first infrared photons ever seen
from a neutron-neutron star merger — it
was thrilling!”
Harvard astronomer Edo Berger, who pre-
sented at the D.C. press conference, de-
scribes the Gemini observations as, “col-
lectively the longest-running, and finest,
infrared imaging and spectroscopy of this
object that we have available.” Berger adds
that the data directly demonstrate that the
GeminiFocus
The observations of this gravitational wave
source brought out the best in Gemini’s staff
and their commitment to obtaining the
best data under extreme circumstances. Of
special note are the individuals below who
played critical roles in acquiring these data:
Morten Andersen
Pablo Candia
Joy Chavez
Gonzalo Diaz
German Gimeno
Hwihyun Kim
Ariel Lopez
Lindsay Magill
Pablo Prado
Ricardo Salinas
David Sanmartim
Alysha Shugart
Karleyne Silva
Erich Wenderoth
much-speculated mechanism of a neutron
star binary merger caused this gravitational
ripple in space and time. In the process the
event formed and dispersed heavy ele-
ments, like gold, into space. “Here, for the
first time, using Gemini, we showed the
direct signature of the formation of heavy
elements,” says Berger. “[This] solves the
decades-long mystery of the origin of the
January 2018 / 2017 Year in Review