6-arcminute field-of-view. The
instrument remains in imagingand long-slit modes only, pending commissioning of the Multiple Object Spectrograph mode,
which may become possible in
2015. Spectroscopic resolution is
quite close to the original specifications, but optical modeling has
been done to see whether it can
be improved. Considering this,
we now believe that FLAMINGOS-2 spectroscopy has reached
its full potential. The problem
with high background reported
in October will be addressed during a short shutdown in February
2015, see Figures 1 and 2.
GPI Campaign Commencement
With the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) now entering regular operations, the GPI Exoplanet
Campaign has officially kicked off. With a
total allocation of about 890 hours, the campaign is expected to take at least three years
to complete. The Campaign is using GPI to
produce the first-ever census of giant planet
populations between 5 and 50 astronomical
units from their host stars, allowing us to better understand the formation of Jovian planets, and how they migrate to-and-fro within
their parent solar systems. It will also help unmask how they interact with disks and belts
of debris. Finally, the results of the Campaign
should bridge the gap between Jupiter and
the brown dwarfs with the first examples of
cool low-gravity planetary atmospheres.
The first night of Campaign observations occurred on November 8, 2014, with the first of
a five-night block undertaken by the instrument team and Gemini staff. The first night
was inauspicious, plagued by poor seeing
varying and high winds, but the Campaign
has some observations which can stand
poorer conditions, and several Campaign tar-
January 2015
gets were observed even on that first night.
By the end of the block a good haul of Campaign targets had been observed.
GPI Queue
GPI has been in the queue since the start of
Semester 14B, in scheduled blocks. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperating; out of six scheduled nights, we have
only completed three hours of observations.
Principal Investigators that have been affected have been contacted to add new targets
for those that have set.
Figure 2.
The effect of the gate
valve baffle not going
into place properly.
Radiation from the
warm gate valve
mechanism is “seen” in
the rear cryostat. The
figure shows the HK
spectral range, the setup
most affected by the
fault. We will address
this in an engineering
period for FLAMINGOS-2
in February.
Priority Visitor Runs Begin!
Principal Investigators of Large and Long
programs are becoming familiar with the
“Priority Visiting” mode, in which the observing program’s staff are placed at the summit
for an extended visit. A PI with an allocation
of 40 hours might, for example, come for a
total stay of six nights, within which they can
choose when to execute their observations
(possibly even choosing to observe in better
conditions than they formally requested).
During 2014B we have had a number of
these runs, both North and South. The first
2014 Year in Review
GeminiFocus
35