Markus Kissler-Patig
Director’s Message
2013: A Successful Year for Gemini!
As 2013 comes to an end, we can look back at 12 very successful months for Gemini despite strong
budget constraints. Indeed, 2013 was the first stage of our three-year transition to a reduced operations budget, and it was marked by a roughly 20 percent cut in contributions from Gemini’s partner
countries. Nevertheless, our staff excelled at working on the many initiatives that will allow us to operate Gemini in a sustainable way, while providing most of the services that our users appreciate.
We also managed to deliver to the Gemini community three new exciting instruments at Gemini
South, as well as host two visiting instruments at Gemini North. In addition, we launched the new
Large and Long Programs, complementing the standard semester-based method of administering
telescope time.
Gains at Gemini South
With four facility-class instruments and an adaptive optics system, Gemini South is now configured as
it will operate for the next few years. First, the Gemini Multi-conjugate adaptive optics System (GeMS)
with the Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI) was introduced early in the year with first science. The system moved into regular operations soon thereafter. This complex system will still require
a few more semesters of operations until it runs as smoothly as some of the old workhorse instruments, but the first papers based on its data have appeared, and the instrument is heavily subscribed.
Second, FLAMINGOS-2 was commissioned in imaging- and long-slit modes during the first half of the
year. It jumped immediately to the next-most demanded instrument behind the two Gemini MultiObject Spectrographs. We anticipate that the remaining image-quality problems can be solved in
2014, after which we will add the much anticipated near-infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph mode.
Finally, the Gemini Planet Imager made a flamboyant entry with its integration of first light in November (see article on page 8 of this issue)!
January2014
GeminiFocus
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