Announcement: Gemini Observatory

5 July 2008: The Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) had ambitious goals from the start - to produce a definitive sample of distant supernovae for cosmology. The aim was not only to find an order-of-magnitude more distant supernovae than previous surveys, but study them with higher precision. Such a dataset has the potential to distinguish between theories for the mysterious Dark Energy that appears to be causing the expansion of the Universe to accelerate. The 5-year survey began in 2003 and the final supernova spectrum was recently taken at Gemini North (Fig. 1). The survey has been a great success, generating over 400 spectroscopically confirmed Type Ia supernovae. This has been achieved by the international SNLS team using a combination of survey images from CFHT, (obtained from the "Deep" part of the CFHT Legacy Survey), and spectroscopic follow-up using the worlds largest ground-based telescopes including Gemini North and South, VLT, Keck and Magellan. The …

1 July 2008: Probing the Host Galaxy of a Luminous Quasar with Gemini Laser Adaptive Optics A team led by Linda C. Watson, Ph. D. student at the Department of Astronomy, Ohio State University, has made the first bulge stellar velocity dispersion measurement of a luminous quasar host with the Gemini North Laser Guide Star adaptive optics system. The target quasar was PG1426+015, about 1.36 billion light-years away (Figure 1). This result is also the basis for the 500th refereed paper based on Gemini observations. They employed the spectro-imaging spectrograph NIFS fed by the Gemini facility adaptive optics system Altair to obtain high signal-to-noise ratio measurements of near-infrared Si I and Mg I lines and also several CO bandheads in the quasar host galaxy spectrum of PG 1426+15 (Figure 2). Using these measurements, the team found a stellar velocity dispersion of 217 +/- 15 kilometers/second in the region of the galaxy between 0.1'' …

16 May 2008: A team of astronomers has used infrared spectral images of Saturn’s moon, Titan, acquired with the Gemini North Frederick C. Gillett Telescope, to dispute an earlier claimed detection of widespread morning methane drizzle. Titan, the second largest moon in the solar system, has long fascinated astronomers because it is the only moon in the solar system with a thick atmosphere. Adding to the fascination, its cold atmosphere (94 K or -180º C near the surface) has a number of interesting similarities to our Earth’s atmosphere. For example, its complex temperature profile (temperature vs. altitude) has the same overall structure as Earth’s and the atmospheric surface pressures are nearly the same. Also like the earth’s atmosphere, nitrogen is the dominant chemical species. After nitrogen, methane is the most abundant chemical species in Titan’s atmosphere. It has sometimes been said that methane plays the same role in Titan’s atmosphere as water does …

6 May 2008: Taking advantage of the spatial resolution and sensitivity offered by T-ReCS on Gemini South, an international team led by Tanio Diaz-Santos (CSIC, Spain) has completed a survey of nearby Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) at 8-microns. The survey showed that to first order the star-formation-rate (SFR) of a galaxy can be determined from its 8-micron emission. This is particularly important for these sources since LIRGs produce the majority of their extended IR luminosity in deeply obscured star-forming regions. This makes traditional star-formation rate (SFR) indicators, for example the UV continuum or the H-alpha line emission, unsuitable for use with LIRGs due to the heavy extinction caused by the dust associated with the star formation sites. However, at longer wavelengths the extinction due to the dust begins to decrease and features like the Paschen-alpha line or even the mid-infrared (MIR) dust continuum emission itself serve as reliable tracers of the star-formation rate …

14 April 2008: An international team led by Brazilian astronomer Cássio L. Barbosa (UNIVAP, Sao José dos Campos) employed the Gemini North Laser Guide Star (LGS) adaptive optics system Altair to probe deep into the core of star forming region W51. This is one of the most luminous complexes of massive star forming regions in our Galaxy. W51 has two bright infrared sources: IRS1 and IRS2 which are coincident with known radio sources. The team used the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) to spectro-image three fields in IRS 2, which contains three ultra-compact HII regions: W51d, d1 and d2 (Figure 1). The spectral data cube they constructed allowed the researchers to reconstruct spectral maps at various wavelengths, providing key diagnostics on the composition and velocities of the stellar and gas components in this obscure but active region. The high angular resolution achieved by NIFS and Altair/LGS made possible the separation of the strong …

10 April 2008: Near-infrared observations taken at Gemini North have detected ammonia in the spectra of the coolest brown dwarf ever discovered. This is the first time such a finding has been made in near-infrared spectra of a sub-stellar object other than a planet. The brown dwarf (an object with a mass between that of a star and planet) is known as CFBDS J005910.83-011401.3 (shortened as CFBDS0059) and has an oven-like temperature of only about 350º C and a mass between 15-30 times that of Jupiter. The object is about 40 light-years from us and is located in the constellation Cetus near the boundary with Pisces. It is an unusual isolated object not orbiting another star, but if it were, it would be more difficult to study due to the competing light of the companion star. CFBDS0059 might be a prototype of a new proposed class of brown dwarfs called Y dwarfs that …

20 March 2008: Using the powerful nod-and-shuffle technique and other sophisticated background field subtraction techniques on data from the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph at Gemini South, a research team led by Armin Rest (CTIO) have successfully obtained spectra from supernova light bouncing off interstellar dust. These “light echoes” have allowed astronomers to identify the type of explosion and the nature of the progenitor star which exploded in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) more that 400 years ago. The GMOS spectrum is shown in Figure 1. In a paper recently accepted in the Astrophysical Journal, Rest et al. present the results from GMOS data of SNR 0509-67.5 and confirm it as a Type Ia event. This type of supernova is the result of a solar mass white dwarf whose mass reaches a threshold limit from mass being dumped on it by an unstable companion. See Chandra X-ray Observatory press release here. The nature of the …

5 March 2008: Two of Gemini’s flagship local outreach programs recently engaged thousands of students, teachers, parents and the public in Chile and Hawai‘i. The annual Journey through the Universe program in Hawai‘i and AstroDay Chile continued to grow in 2008 and not only shared Gemini’s work with the public but brought together dozens of other astronomical institutions in both of our host communities to share the excitement of astronomical research. Now in its second year, AstroDay Chile attracted an estimated 7,000 visitors to the local Mall Plaza La Serena and Gemini was joined by essentially all of the local astronomical institutions in central and northern Chile. Included were ESO, ALMA, University of Concepcion, Universidad de la Frontera from Temuco with his astronomy group C.A.O.S., amateur observatories of Collowara and Cerro Mayu, NOAO/CTIO and CADIAS as well as the OPCC (local entity to protect the Chilean skies from light pollution). With activities ranging …

27 February 2008: The STFC and the Executive Agency have prepared the following statement for public distribution The Science and Technology Facilities Council has reaffirmed the UK's position as a full member of the Partnership under the terms of the current Gemini Agreement. The Gemini Board welcomes this statement. The Board acknowledges the STFC's need to address its budgetary constraints and notes that, under the terms of the Agreement, the UK is entitled to seek to sell some of its telescope time both within the partnership and, subject to the approval of the Board, outside the current partnership. The Board has directed the Observatory to continue the UK as a full partner, participating in all subsequent observing semesters, and all relevant committees and functions of the Observatory. Gemini Board Resolution 2008.Feb.25 A written communication from the STFC Designated Member has recommitted the UK position as a full Partner under the Gemini Agreement, with …

20 February 2008: A team of astronomers led by Ph.D. student Rogemar A. Riffel (Universidad do Rio Grande do Sul) have detected streaming gas flows toward the Seyfert nucleus of NGC 4051 located at an estimated distance of about 9.3 Megaparsecs. They used the Near-infrared Field Spectrograph (NIFS), fed by Altair, the Gemini North adaptive optics system, to target the central core of the galaxy. Unlike earlier optical observations of gas inflows into other active galactic nuclei (AGN) (NGC 1097, see GeminiFocus, June 2006, p. 22 and NGC 6951, see ApJ, 2007, 670. 959) these new infrared observations provide even stronger evidence of such inflows since the extinction effects due to dust are less severe in the infrared. To achieve this new result, accurate subtraction of the stellar velocity field from the gaseous velocity field allowed the researchers to isolate non-circular motions observed in the H2-emitting gas (geminiann08007a). Two nuclear spiral arms – …

19 February 2008: The binary star SDSS J121209.31+013627.7, commonly known as SDSS 1212, is possibly the first interacting binary where a substellar companion has been directly detected -- via near-infrared spectroscopy with GNIRS on Gemini South. Although it was initially suspected to represent a detached, non-interacting system containing a cool, 10,000 K, magnetic white dwarf plus a brown dwarf companion, this new study favors the interpretation that the pair represent a magnetic cataclysmic variable (called a polar for the highly polarized light emitted by the mass-transferred material falling in a magnetic field) with a substellar donor in a quiescent (non-eruptive) state. The research team, led by Jay Farihi (Gemini Observatory/University of Leicester) and including Matt Burleigh (University of Leicester) and Don Hoard (Spitzer Science Center) obtained spectroscopic data from 1-2.5 microns, which was only possible with Gemini/GNIRS due to the intrinsic faintness of this system and the fact that the light emitted changes …

11 February 2008: The Executive Agency and the STFC agreed this morning on the terms for discussion of possible continued UK involvement in Gemini. Dates are being set for this discussion. Accordingly the Gemini Observatory has been asked to reinstate the 2008A UK observing time allocation according to the Board's resolution. The agreement between the Executive Agency and the STFC removes the conditional nature of the reinstatement in the Board resolution: Resolution 2008.Feb.09 The Board has received new correspondence from the STFC regarding the UK involvement in Gemini. The UK has committed to continue their Operations payments during 2008, and wishes to open negotiations with the Executive Agency and the Board to explore their options for continued participation in the Gemini Observatory. Therefore, the Board resolves to conditionally reinstate 2008A UK observing time allocations on both Gemini-North and Gemini-South. The Board asks that the Chair and Designated Members, including the UK, meet face-to-face …

7 February 2008: Since the last week of January, the weather atop Mauna Kea has been, “atrocious” in the words of Gemini North’s Head of Science Operations Inger Jørgensen. “Since the night starting on January 28th we have been on the sky only once for a total of 2.3 hours!” she reports. As of February 7th, the snow and ice on Mauna Kea continue to plague the summit area and crews have been working almost continuously to keep the observatories accessible for optimistic night-crews. Ron Koehler of Mauna Kea Support Services said, “This winter has really worn out the road crew. They have been working 7 days a week to open the roads to the observatories only to be faced with the same view of a snow covered road the next day. It is a nightmare for them facing a deja vu on top of deja vu!” Meanwhile, below in Hilo (and much …

25 January 2008: The Gemini Board determined during a special session on January 24, 2008 that a recently submitted proposal from the UK’s Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) for reduced on-going participation in the Gemini partnership is not in the best interest of the observatory. As a result, the board concluded that the UK has withdrawn from the Gemini partnership. The effects of this action are immediate and are articulated in the Board resolutions which can be found here. The observatory, together with the Gemini Board, reiterates their confidence that their vision for Gemini, as a world-class astronomical research facility, will be fulfilled despite the loss of a long-time partner. The partnership, through the Board and in close consultation with the Observatory and our Gemini communities, will be looking to the future in the coming months and taking a measured and deliberate approach to the reformulation of the partnership.

16 January 2008: A “new” star appeared in the constellation of Orion in late 2003 when the young pre-main sequence star V1647 Orionis went into outburst. The eruption and huge increase in brightness of the object resulted in the appearance of a reflection nebula called “McNeil’s Nebula,” named after the amateur astronomer, Jay McNeil, who discovered the object and alerted the world. During the outburst the star and nebula remained bright for approximately 18 months before fading rapidly over a six month period. By early 2006 the star and its environment were very similar to their pre-burst stage. The event was monitored and observed with many ground- and space-based facilities and Gemini Observatory played a key role in monitoring the event during its eruptive and quiescent phases. A team led by Colin Aspin (IfA/University of Hawai‘i), Tracy Beck (STScI) and Bo Reipurth (IfA/University of Hawai‘i) spearheaded the monitoring campaign of this unique event. …

8 January 2008: This page highlights a sample of Gemini related science results presented at the 211th meeting of the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin Texas from January 7-11, 2008. NIFS Characterization of a Galactic Compact H II Region Robert Blum (NOAO) and Peter McGregor (ANU) used the Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrometer (NIFS) + AO on Gemini North to study the Galactic Ultra-Compact HII region G45.45+0.06. The NIFS data let Blum and McGregor identify several massive O-type stars which are responsible for the ionization of the region. In the paper, “The Ionizing Stars of the Galactic Ultra Compact HII Region G45.45+0.6” several sources were characterized, including two embedded sources that exhibit CO bandhead emission that is likely a signature of accretion from massive young stellar objects within the complex. Magnetic Fields of T Tauri Stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster Based on data from the Phoenix Spectrometer on Gemini South, Hao Yang …

17 December 2007: On December 8th the first-ever Gemini Staff Family Tour was held at Gemini South. This was followed on December 15th with a Staff Family tour at Gemini North. Over 75 staff and family participated (or led) the tours which gave family members of Gemini’s staff an opportunity to see the Gemini North and South telescope facilities first-hand and see where family members work. At Gemini North, Tony Matulonis (System Support Associate) put the telescope and enclosure through its motions for the group. Tony’s mom (Anna Trope) wrote that this was, “…An absolutely wonderful tour that was an inspiring learning experience!” Gemini’s Human Resources Recruiter Mahshid Albrecht said that it was an experience she will never forget, and that she “…felt like a little kid!” Finally, Dorothy Fukushima made the comment (several times) that everyone else was feeling from the snowy heights of Mauna Kea, “I am sooooo cold!” “This is …

1 December 2007: Jean-René Roy, Mike Sheehan and Pete McEvoy Gemini Observatory On December 3-4, 2007, more than 70 engineers, technicians, safety officers and coordinators, administrative personnel and astronomers from observatories around the world met in La Serena, Chile for the first Chile Observatory Earthquake Preparedness Workshop. The goal of the workshop was to develop better means to protect our staff and our valued equipment in case of a major earthquake. Chile has one of the highest rates of seismicity in the world and was in fact the location of the most intense earthquake ever recorded; the M9.5 earthquake in 1960, which, combined with its resulting tsunami, caused thousand deaths and devastation in Chile, Hawai‘i, the Philippines, Easter Island and Samoa. Astronomical Observatories in Chile will experience the effects of one or more major earthquakes in their lifetimes and we need to be prepared. About two weeks before the workshop, a magnitude 7.7 …

16 November 2007: Statement of The Gemini Observatory Board of Directors The Board of the Gemini Observatory has concluded its meeting of November 14-16, 2007 in La Serena, Chile. In addition to its normal business, it considered the implications of the communication by the Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom that it may withdraw as a (23.8%) partner in the Gemini Observatory. The Board deeply regrets the announcement that the UK will likely withdraw as a partner in the Gemini Observatory. The UK astronomical community has made substantial and very valuable contributions to the success of the Gemini partnership from its earliest days. The Board reaffirms its vision for the Observatory and resolves to address any resource problems brought on by the announced UK intentions expeditiously and with minimum impact on the current operation of the Observatory. The Board is confident that the Gemini Observatory will continue to operate efficiently …

5 November 2007: A fossil group of galaxies is a system of several dozen galaxies with an extended and luminous X-ray halo (Lx > 1042 ergs/sec). Its striking feature is that it is dominated by one single very luminous elliptical galaxy and surrounded by low-luminosity companions. In these systems the difference in brightness between the bright dominant elliptical and the next brightest companion is 2 magnitudes or more (in optical R band). This is as if the bright galaxy had absorbed several of its smaller companions over the history of the group. Compact groups have many members but they have a better balance of bright galaxies. It has been suggested that fossil groups could be the cannibalized remains of compact groups where several of the more massive objects lost energy through tidal friction and merged. In the nearby universe compact groups which are close to the merging phase (and display a wealth of …