The blue filter wheel of Zorro has been behaving erratically for past few monhts. This has had only minimal impact on operations, since the great majority of Zorro programs use the same filter. A new filter wheel has arrived recently to Pachon and the replacement will happen in the next few weeks.
2021-Jan-15: Altair has been repaired and is now in a state where it can be used in Natural Guide Star (NGS) mode. We will resume offering Altair in NGS mode starting with the upcoming Fast Turnaround cycle. Further work is needed before we can offer Altair in Laser Guide Star (LGS) mode.
The project has been effectively on hold since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the exception being progress on software and documentation. With the reopening of the Gemini South telescope, staff is now available to move the 3 containers from the base facility to be unloaded at the summit for storage until the remainder of the GHOST parts arrive. We expect the project to take another four months to complete once the Australian and Canadian crews are able to travel to Chile for the reassembly and test of GHOST at Cerro Pachón.
As Gemini South resumed nighttime operation, GMOS-S was checked out during last weekend and started operating in queue mode. To be noted is that the CCD1 CTE problem reported on Jan10, 2020 is still present, meaning that programs using the N&S mode for spectroscopy are potentialliy affected, as well as IFU programs. These programs will remain on hold, with the exception of programs where this issue has no impact on the science (e.g. region of interest outside of CCD1)
After the COVID-19 telescope shutdown, F2 will continue off the telescope until further notice, due to pending work on the instrument cold heads.
GPI is not available in semester 20B or later due to being removed from science operations for the GPI 2.0 upgrade and move to Gemini North.
GMOS-N data taken between the nights of 31 August 2020 and 8 September 2020 show a new flat field feature from dust in the optics, as marked in the image below. A preliminary cleaning of the accessible GMOS optics performed during daytime on 3 September 2020 was not successful in removing the new dust feature and the overall effects were found to be negligible.
GPI is now warming up since Monday the 16th due to the unplanned shutdown due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The instrument is now safe in a shutdown state on the telescope.
As Gemini South is closed for operations from last Monday due to the Covid-19 outbreak (see https://www.gemini.edu/news/gemini-south-shutdown-until-further-notice), GMOS-S has been warmed up and switched off. This shutdown will last until further notice
Zorro has now an H-alpha filter! Addittionally, the same new control software has also been implemented. The first Zorro run of the semester is ongoing.