The 2022B Gemini Observing Tool is now available for download. This update is required to access the Gemini Observing Databases.
The Installation Instructions are linked on the Observing Tool web page, and we recommend that everyone download their programs from the databases rather than import from saved XMLs.
See the the Release Notes for a complete list of changes.
The Gemini observing databases will be offline for several hours on Wednesday, June 1 while we perform software updates.
During this time the following services will be unavailable:
The new 2022B Observing Tool will be available after the update and will be required to access the observing databases.
A patch release for Gemini IRAF v1.14 is available.
The replacement of two filters and the reshuffling of another in Flamingos 2 necessitated additions and modifications to lookup tables and modifications to the code. This patch release contains only the affected files. The patch is to be applied on-top of an already installed Gemini IRAF v1.14 package.
Installation instructions and content of the patch are available in gemini_v114_patch1.txt.
A patch release for Gemini IRAF v1.14 is available.
The replacement of two filters and the reshuffling of another in Flamingos 2 necessitated additions and modifications to lookup tables and modifications to the code. This patch release contains only the affected files. The patch is to be applied on-top of an already installed Gemini IRAF v1.14 package.
Installation instructions and content of the patch are available in gemini_v114_patch1.txt.
Today Thursday March 10th we will reinstall the repaired P2WFS in the telescope. This requires removal and reinstall of the A&G which takes more than a day and thus tonight March 10th the telescope will be in shutdown and we expect that tomorrow night we will be back in operation.
Gemini is now accepting proposals for observing time in Semester 2022B. The submission deadline varies with participant. A new version of the Phase I Tool (PIT) has been released to support proposal submissions.
It has been found after extensive troubleshooting that the Peripheral Wave Front Sensor 2 (P2WFS) has a mechanical issue and is out of order. To address this issue the P2WFS will have to be replaced in the telescope by a dummy unit while it is being repaired. We are planning for this intervention starting Monday February 21st and the removal and installation of the dummy unit will take two days and thus the telescope will not be available from the Night February 21st to 22nd.
NIFS is temporarily unavailable at Gemini North. The cold head is being exchanged because the instrument was not holding temperature. We expect the instrument to be available again during the week of January 31.
The Gemini North secondary mirror xy positioner was successfully datumed on Friday, 21 January 2022. Fine tuning of the mirror alignment is awaiting good natural seeing, in the meantime the elevation restriction on targets has been removed.
The secondary mirror of Gemini North Observatory has had a non-functional xy positioner since Tuesday January 4, 2022. Troubleshooting actively continues, however the fault remains unresolved. On the night of Friday January 7, 2022, we started taking data for programs that can handle poor seeing, with targets that reach an elevation greater than 55 degrees. The lack of the xy positioner introduces coma into the images, which is worse at lower elevations. At the higher elevations the coma tail extends about 2 arcseconds, with an average delivered IQ of about IQ85.