2020. We are very pleased to announce the re-
turn of IGRINS as a long-term visiting near-in-
frared high-resolution spectrograph at Gemini
South, available starting 2020A. Commission-
ing for the visiting instrument MAROON-X, a
high-resolution high-stability optical spectro-
graph installed at Gemini North continues to
go well. Finally, the National Research Council
Canada-Herzberg’s GHOST team has made
substantial progress on the instrument’s en-
closure and achieved first light through the fi-
bre cable, slit viewer, and spectrograph in July;
GHOST is expected to be delivered to Gemini
South in 2020. On the imaging side, work on
the GeMS upgrade to its natural guide star
sensor is making excellent progress, and is on-
track for completion by the end of the year.
This upgrade will open up significantly greater
areas of the sky for multi-conjugate AO high-
resolution imaging.
Engaging our Community and
the World
In mid-September, I was invited to speak at the
61a. Reunión annual de la Asociación Argenti-
na de Astronomía in Viedma, Argentina. Later
that week, I visited the astronomy department
at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata and
the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura, Ciencia,
y Tecnología. It was fantastic to speak directly
with Gemini users in Argentina. I particularly
enjoyed the Planetario Ciudad de La Plata’s
planetarium show featuring both the Gemini
North and South telescopes.
More locally, Gemini's public outreach staff
organized the Journey Through the Universe
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
workshop held at ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center
on September 5-6. During this two-day work-
shop, over 60 K-12 teachers engaged in NGSS-
aligned and astronomy-centered activities.
Teachers were provided with the resources
needed to take these activities back to their
classrooms to use with their students. Gemini
Observatory, in partnership with the Hawai‘i
State Department of Education (HIDOE), Mau-
nakea Observatories, and Hawai‘i Island busi-
ness community have a long history of host-
ing the Journey Through the Universe program
over the past 16 years.
Finally, I am looking forward to engaging
with many of you at the 235th Meeting of the
American Astronomical Society in Honolulu
in January 2020. It should be a lively meeting,
with a town hall to present the new National
Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Labora-
tory, a Gemini Observatory open house, and
special sessions on Hawaiian culture and as-
tronomy on Maunakea. Until then, wishing
you all clear skies and unexpected discoveries!
Jennifer Lotz is the Gemini Observatory Director.
She can be reached at: [email protected]
A message from the editor
With the transition to Gemini's role in NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Lab-
oratory, there will be changes in the format and scope of Gemini's newsletters in the immediate
future. As part of this change we are also exploring ways that the Gemini partner countries can
participate more directly in our communications products like GeminiFocus. We welcome ideas
for future communications collaborations and content so please contact me via email with
ideas, suggestions and feedback.
— Peter Michaud, Editor, GeminiFocus
October 2019
GeminiFocus
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