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Gemini e-Newscast #56
February 14, 2014
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A Dwarf Galaxy Origin for a Milky Way Cluster
What is the origin of massive star clusters? Recent work by Gary Da Costa (Australian National University) and collaborators shows evidence that the Milky Way’s NGC 5824 is the remnant nucleus of a dwarf galaxy, based in part on observations using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on the Gemini South telescope. The team also identifies metallicity spread as the distinguishing feature of such former dwarf galaxy nuclei. The work is in press in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and a preprint is currently available.
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GPI Early Science and Public Data
The call for Early Science programs using the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) is now open, with full information posted at <www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gpi/gpi-early-science/call-proposals>.
Proposals for shared-risk observations with GPI are due by February 28, for execution in April. This call represents an accelerated opportunity for users to begin using the instrument. Commissioning is not yet complete, so performance information is preliminary and may not represent the final capability of GPI.
First data from the GPI commissioning are now publicly available at <http://www.gemini.edu/sciops/instruments/gpi/public-data>. Most of the current data sets are standard and calibration sources. Although GPI was not designed to provide crisp images of extended sources, such as Jupiter’s moon Europa, shown here, it provides a nice example of the instrument’s capabilities. Additional data sets will be posted later, including some that should be of scientific interest.
Sign up for the gpinews mailing list to receive direct messages with updates on GPI. Either click here or send a message to listserver@gemini.edu with a subject of "subscribe gpinews" (without quotation marks).
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Three-color composite of Europa, observed with GPI in the K1 band.
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Data Forum Contest Entries Due February 28
The deadline for submitting content to the Gemini Data Forum, in order to be eligible for the Director’s Discretionary Time prizes, is February 28. See more details at <drforum.gemini.edu/topic/director-discretionary-time-for-best-posts/> and participate in this new Forum!
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GeMS/GSAOI Observations of a Frontier Field
The cluster MACSJ 0416.1-2403, one of the Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields, has been observed using GeMS/GSAOI. The raw data are now publicly available, and reduced data products will be provided later.
Deep images for a total of 5.3 hours of on-source integration time were obtained in January 2014 using the Kshort filter. During the observations, the AO-corrected FWHM varied from 0.075 arcsec to 0.100 arcsec. The GeMS/GSAOI pointing observations are offset from the cluster center to accommodate the required guide stars, centered on the coordinates RA=04:16:07.981, DEC=-24:04:50.18.
The public data, from program GS-2013B-DD-1, can now be obtained from the Gemini Science Archive, with raw data here. Instructions for obtaining calibrations are at the Gemini website. The GSAOI package within the Gemini IRAF package provides tools for basic data reduction, excluding mosaicking.
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Great Interest in Large and Long Programs
Interest from our user community in the new Large and Long Programs mode is excellent, with over 40 letters of intent submitted by the February 3 deadline. The proposal teams include over 500 astronomers from all Gemini partner countries and beyond. Complete proposals are due by March 31, for observations that may begin during semester 2014B.
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Mauna Kea Update
Repair work on the Gemini North shutter drive is nearing completion, with expectations that we will be back on sky the night of February 14. Because of the nature of the failure, a large (2 ton+) drive box had to be removed from high on the exterior of the dome. Once removed (after significant delays due to wind and winter weather) work was completed, which included replacing spherical bearings that keep the drive sprockets aligned and drive the large chain that opens and closes the shutter. The reassembled drive box has now been installed back in the dome. (Gemini photos by Joy Pollard.)
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Steve Hardash and Cooper Nakayama inspect the drive box after reinstallation on the Gemini North dome.
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Drive box is lifted by a 70-ton crane after repairs.
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Software Updates: New PIT and Ending of Solaris Support
A new 2014A Phase I Tool, PIT 2014A-SV 2014.1.2, has been released to support 2014A poor weather, director's time, and GPI early science proposals. This PIT must be used to submit all 2014A poor weather and director's time proposals.
Use of the Solaris operating system in astronomy has decreased significantly in the last 10 years, and user feedback has not identified a continuing need for Solaris binaries for the PIT and Observing Tool. Therefore, Solaris binaries will no longer be provided starting with the 2014B Observing Tool that will be released in June 2014. OSX, Linux, and Windows binaries will continue to be provided. This change will simplify software development and testing. Also, this will allow us to migrate these tools from Java 6, which is no longer supported, to the latest Java 7 in June 2014. This will require Mac users to run OSX 10.7.3 (Lion) or newer. Please send any comments or questions to Bryan Miller via email <bmiller@gemini.edu>.
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A Video Blog about Gemini and GPI
Take a few moments to enjoy this fun independent video blog about GPI, which is also a great introduction to Gemini. This “vlog” called Kiriosity, hosted by @Kiri Callaghan, is on @Geek and Sundry (a YouTube channel).
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Screen-shot from “Kiriosity” vlog featuring the Gemini Planet Imager first-light images.
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