made to increase the operability and performance of the system as it enters queue mode.
The most recent GeMS run, from September
12-16, was the first time the system was onsky since the improvement work was completed in June and July. The major goal of the
run was to return GeMS to a state of readiness
for queue operations following the shutdown
period. This was only partially accomplished,
in part due to poor weather during the run
(cirrus clouds prevented use of the laser, and
poor seeing prevailed), and also because a
number of technical issues were uncovered.
Despite this, some useful progress was made,
including: 1) a number of operational software improvements were successfully tested; 2) the beam transfer optics for the laser
were calibrated; and 3) Canopus probes that
acquire the natural guide stars were callibrated. In addition, the GeMS team has identified
a number of items that will be tested in the
next run beginning on September 23rd. Hopefully the weather will be much improved.
— Chad Trujillo
Gemini Planet Imager Arrives “Home:” A Travelogue
The Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), Gemini’s next-generation instrument for characterizing
new worlds, has finally arrived home at Gemini South after a long period of integration and
testing at the University of California Santa Cruz. As Stephen Goodsell, who manages the
project for Gemini said in a recent Gemini Webfeature, “Now, the fun begins as GPI arrives
home and, before the end of this year, gets mounted on the back of the Gemini South telescope and collects light, from real planets!”
As the series of photos in this story shows, GPI is soon to enter the beginning of its scientific
life as technicians prepare to mount it on the Gemini South telescope at the end of October.
Between the release of this issue of GeminiFocus and when GPI is secured on Gemini South’s
Instrument Support Structure, GPI will be thoroughly tested on the flexure rig at the Gemini
South instrument lab and readied for its first photons from space. On-sky testing will then
commence leading to early science observations with the instrument during the first half of
2014. These first science observations are to be selected through an open call to the community during the 2014A semester Call for Proposals.
GPI departs for the
almost 6000-mile (9700km) trek from the labs
at the University of
California Santa Cruz,
where the instrument
spent the past 2.5 years,
to Gemini South.
October2013
GeminiFocus
23