Gemini is pleased to announce the start of the Conceptual Design process for the Gemini High-resolution Optical Spectrograph (GHOS) - a proposed next-generation instrument for Gemini. Three very strong teams are performing the Conceptual Design Studies, which are led by:
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There was great interest in the Gemini Planet Imager campaign science program, with a total of over 6500 hours of time requested. The approved program, led by Bruce Macintosh (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), will conduct a comprehensive survey to yield a robust census of extrasolar giant planets. GPI will also be available for general community use.
AURA announced that Doug Simons, Director of the Gemini Observatory, will step down at the end of his term on May 18, 2011. The full announcement is available at http://www.aura-astronomy.org/news/news.asp?newsID=259
Planning for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Gemini partnership at the end of 2012, the Gemini Observatory has worked with the Gemini Board to develop a transition plan for operations and maintenance with a reduced budget in the future. The plan is now available at the AURA website http://www.aura-astronomy.org/news/news.asp?newsID=220 and comments may be contributed through the same site.
Instrument Support Structure - Gemini South.
The June 2010 issue of GeminiFocus is now available electronically (downloadable as a PDF).
Gemini Observatory and the US National Optical Astronomy Observatory are organizing a Gemini Data Workshop 19--22 July 2010 in Tucson, Arizona. Registration is free and open to anyone. The workshop will cover the basics of astronomical data reduction, followed by breakout sessions that then focus on specific Gemini instruments or capabilities.
Gemini's flagship local outreach program, Journey Through the Universe, for 2010 is scheduled for February 25th - March 5th. To learn more about this annual program in Hawai'i please use this link: