Markus Kissler-Patig
Director’s Message
The Culmination of Another Successful Year at Gemini.
After three years of effort, we proudly announce that Gemini Observatory has accomplished its transition to a leaner and more agile facility, operating now on a ~25% reduced
budget compared to 2012. Achieving that goal was no easy task. It required questioning
every one of our activities, redefining our core mission, and reducing our staff by almost a
quarter; ultimately we relied on the ideas and joint efforts of everyone in the Observatory.
In the process of the 2016 budget preparation, we managed to fit all our current activities
within the reduced budget, which our Finance Committee and Board of Directors have
already approved. Huge kudos to all the Gemini staff for their contributions to three years
of massive changes!
So Where Are We Now, and What’s Next?
The Gemini Observatory’s governance has provided us with guidelines for 2016-2021, which
includes this key statement: “Gemini will strive to be the best observatory in the world for
the execution of flexible, innovative, and efficient science programs.” I believe that we already are, and will continue to be so well into the future. Here are at least six reasons why.
First, we are unique in offering our users multiple ways of requesting telescope time for
programs (regular, Long and Large, and Fast Turnaround). Second, Gemini’s twin 8-meter
telescopes are now equipped with four state-of-the-art facility-class instruments, several
of which utilize adaptive optics. Third, Gemini has the only 8- to 10-meter-class telescope
offering multi-conjugate adaptive optics. Fourth, we are the only 8- to 10-meter-class observatory to so openly welcome visitor instruments; so much so that our user community
has built up a “waiting list” for them. Fifth, Gemini North is the first 8- to 10-meter-class
telescope to fully operate remotely at night. And sixth, Gemini is the first major observatory
January 2016
GeminiFocus
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