Markus Kissler-Patig
Director’s Message
Gemini’s Future Beyond 2021: a consensus vision emerges with
prospects for a new center for optical-infrared astronomy.
Over the last two years, the Gemini partners have been discussing the future of the Gemini
Observatory. For the timeframe 2016–2021 (the length of the current International Agree-
ment) the Gemini Board had given Operational Guidelines to the Observatory ( viewable here
— issued in June 2015). For the decade beyond 2021, after consultation with the various
stakeholders and the community (see editorial, October 2016 issue) the Gemini Board has
now issued a Strategic Vision. The four recommendations to the Observatory are as follows:
1. Beyond 2021, Gemini should exploit its geographical location and agile operational mod-
el in order to be the premiere facility for the follow-up investigation of targets identified
by the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope.
2. Beyond 2021, a significant fraction of the time on the telescopes should remain focused
on Principal Investigator-driven science.
3. Beyond 2021, Gemini should be viewed as the premiere hosting facility for visitor instru-
ments whose scope and ambition may be comparable to that of the ‘facility-class‘ instru-
ments.
4. Beyond 2021, direction of the two Gemini telescopes should be allowed to diverge.
The Observatory is now charged to develop, by the end of 2018, a Strategic Plan following
these recommendations. The goal is to develop a path that will retain Gemini scientifically
productive, relevant, exciting, and at the forefront of ground-based observational astrono-
my — in an era that will be dominated by other ground- and space-based facilities, includ-
ing the Extremely Large Telescopes; a challenging task that we are happy to accept.
In parallel, over the last 18 months, the Association of Universities for Research in Astron-
omy (AURA) and National Science Foundation (NSF) have been in discussions about how
to maximize the scientific return of NSF investment in optical-infrared night-time facilities
April 2017
GeminiFocus
1