GeminiFocus January 2018 | Page 2

1 Director’s Message Laura Ferrarese 4 Gemini North and South Join in Welcoming the Solar System’s First Interstellar Emissary John Blakeslee 8 Science Highlights John Blakeslee 13 On the Horizon Gemini staff contributions 15 MAROON-X: A New ExoEarth-finder Spectrograph for Gemini North Jacob Bean, Andreas Seifahrt, and Alison Peck 20 News for Users Gemini staff contributions 24 Gemini’s Users Provide Valuable Feedback for the Future André-Nicolas Chené 27 Viaje al Universo 2017 Manuel Paredes ON THE COVER: Artist’s concept of interstellar asteroid 1I/2017 U1 (‘Oumuamua), which is unlike that of any object seen in our Solar System. The small inset at center shows a Gemini image of ‘Oumuamua, while the panel below it shows the object’s light curve created from VLT, Gemini (North and South), and Keck data. The article summarizing this work begins on page 4. Credit: Gemini Observatory/AURA/NSF (inset); University of Hawai‘i Institute for Astronomy (panel); Gemini Observatory/ AURA/NSF/Joy Pollard (background artwork) GeminiFocus January 2018 GeminiFocus is a quarterly publication of the Gemini Observatory 670 N. A‘ohoku Place, Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720, USA Phone: (808) 974-2500 / Fax: (808) 974-2589 Online viewing address: www.gemini.edu/geminifocus Managing Editor: Peter Michaud Associate Editor: Stephen James O’Meara Designer: Eve Furchgott/Blue Heron Multimedia Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the Gemini Partnership. ii GeminiFocus January 2018