delivered image quality and commissioning the powerful multi-object spectroscopy
(MOS) mode.
GeMS/GSAOI Moving Toward More
Robust Operations
Figure 3.
Image of the Orion
Bullets obtained during
the late commissioning
phase of the GeMS
adaptive optics system,
with the Gemini South
AO Imager (GSAOI).
The large adaptive
optics field-of-view
(85 arcseconds across)
demonstrates the
system’s extreme
resolution and uniform
correction across the
entire field.
Image Credit: Gemini
Observatory/AURA.
The Gemini Multi-conjugate adpative optics System (GeMS), along with its dedicated
imager, the Gemini South Adaptive Optics
Imager (GSAOI), has, in 2013, completed the
transition from a development project into
System Verification (SV) observations. In Semester 2013B, the instrument neared normal science queue operations.
During these transitions, GeMS/GSAOI produced a variety of very impressive results,
including a stunning new first light image
of the Orion Nebula “Bullets” region among
several other targets (see: http://www.gemini.
edu/node/11925, and Figure 3). Data obtained
during the SV period also resulted in the first
refereed journal article based on GeMS data
(“Haffner 16: A Young Moving Group in the
Making,” Davidge et al.). This paper appeared
in The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and is now part of a rapidly
growing collection of cutting-edge science
papers made possible with GeMS.
During a telescope shutdown in June and
July, many improvements were made to
GeMS. These included: 1) Routine cold head
maintenance of the Gemini South Adaptive
Optics Imager (GSAOI, the science camera
behind GeMS); 2) Repair of filter wheel #2
and the utility wheel, along with cleaning of
optical elements; 3) Maintenance (including
diode replacement) to improve the power
output of the laser used to produce the artificial guide stars and provide better adaptive optics corrections; 4) Installation of new
higher reflectivity mirrors in the transfer optics that launch the Laser, and 5) Movement
of the laser wavefront sensor in Canopus (the
adaptive optics instrument itself) to improve
performance and investigation of some minor optical alignment issues related to the
natural guide star (NGS) part of the system,
and make improvements in the operational
software. Overall, these improvements were
designed to increase the operability and performance of the system as it entered normal
queue operations mode.
From September 12-16, the system was
scheduled to be on-sky in order to return
GeMS to a state of readiness for queue operations after the shutdown work. This was
only partially accomplished, in part due to
poor weather during the run (cirrus clouds
prevented use of the laser, and poor seeing
prevailed), and because a number of technical issues were uncovered. Despite these
problems, some useful progress was made,
including: 1) successful testing of a number
of operational software improvements; 2)
calibration of beam transfer optics for the
laser; 3) calibration of Canopus probes that
acquire the natural guide stars; and 4) on-
50
GeminiFocus 2013 Year in Review
January2014