Gemini staff contributions
News for Users
Governance meetings bring kudos to Gemini staff for their dedication
to the Observatory (and its many projects) and recognize adaptive
optics as a key strength. Large and Long Programs have been
modified to resolve p roblems. The current “rollover” system in
queue programming has been replaced with a new one that further
benefits programs in Band 1. Commissioning data from the visiting
speckle instrument ‘Alopeke reveal that it is amenable for image
reconstruction and can produce remarkably sharp results. And early
registration has opened for the Science and Evolution of Gemini
Observatory 2018 conference.
Update on Governance Meetings
Beginning on November 9th, the Science and Technology Advisory Committee (STAC),
AURA Oversight Council for Gemini (AOC-G), and Gemini Board of Directors (Board) met
in La Serena, Chile, for nine action-packed days of very productive governance meetings.
All three committees praised the progress the Observatory continues to make, and the
dedication of the Gemini staff. Although the STAC and Board reports (which you can find
posted on the Gemini external website) tend to be a bit terse and down to business, the
STAC did use bullet points to congratulate the Observatory staff on several fronts, includ-
ing the successful installation and commissioning run of the new laser at Gemini South,
the dome shutter repair at Gemini North, and successfully managing the complicated
follow-up observations of GW170817.
The AOC-G, which tends to be a bit more effusive in their reports, noted that “Once again,
the management and staff of Gemini are performing at an outstanding level and the
entire Gemini team is clearly operating very efficiently with excellent science return, on
modest resources.”
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GeminiFocus
January 2018