over a range of target zenith distance and
position angles. These tests demonstrated
that the ADCs are working as expected and
produce the required correction.
These tests also marked the first on-sky test-
ing of GHOST interoperability with the Gem-
ini OCS. GHOST target configurations, in
both high- and standard-resolution modes,
were created in the Gemini Observing Tool.
The telescope systems then used these tar-
get configurations to determine the tele-
scope pointing. GHOST also used them to
place the fiber positioners on the requested
targets. While these successful tests were
a major milestone in our internal software
development process, they also improved
the efficiency of the on-sky tests by greatly
reducing the time for target acquisitions at
the telescope.
The team operated GHOST on both the
up-looking and side-looking ports. While
GHOST is expected to operate primarily on
the up-looking port during normal opera-
tions, we wanted to ensure proper operation
on the side-looking port, as well. This mainly
consisted of checking that the GHOST oper-
ations software was properly accounting for
the additional reflection produced by the
tertiary (science-fold) mirror and producing
the correct coordinate transformations and
ADC corrections, among other things. With
some minor tweaks, GHOST worked suc-
cessfully on the side-port.
will be paired with the spectrograph for
testing in the second half of 2019. The Aus-
tralian National University team, along with
a contractor, Software Design Ideas, is pro-
viding the instrument control and data re-
duction software for GHOST; they were also
instrumental in the November Cassegrain
unit testing, as were Gemini project team
members from both North and South sites.
SCORPIO Update
At the end of February, Southwest Research
Institute (SwRI) hosted a progress meeting
in San Antonio, Texas, to assess the matu-
rity of the SCORPIO project’s Critical Design
Review (CDR) documentation set. SwRI has
provided Gemini with drafts of the Critical
Design documents and the team continues
to work on providing additional structural
and thermal analysis required for the review.
A readiness assessment will take place at the
beginning of April. The project has now re-
ceived the instrument’s four science grade
visible detectors.
The team used the prototype optical fi-
ber cable for this round of Cassegrain unit
testing. The science optical fiber cable is
nearing build and test completion. Upon
completion, the cable and Cassegrain unit
build team (the Australian Astronomical
Optics Group at Macquarie University) will
ship these components to the spectrograph
build team at the National Research Coun-
cil Herzberg in Victoria, Canada, where they
April 2019
GeminiFocus
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