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Gemini North Holds StarLab Training at ʻImiloa

Gemini North Holds StarLab Training at ʻImiloa Astronomy Center

Both Gemini sites, North and South, have portable planetariums available for loan to schools and community groups (as posted previously). Gemini’s StarLab Portable Planetarium is a great interactive tool to teach a variety of Astronomy lessons about topics such as: the Solar System, the Northern and Southern star fields, and Hawaiian navigational star lines. Once educators have completed our two-hour StarLab training, they too can take students on adventures through the cosmos without leaving their classrooms.

Booking Info

If you are interested in borrowing the StarLab or booking a presentation,  please visit the Gemini North or South StarLab webpages for contact information. You can also keep up to date on all of our upcoming events and trainings through our website. Here are some highlights from our most recent Gemini North StarLab training at the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center on Monday, October 3rd!

Alexis Acohido introduces training participants to the StarLab projection system.

Training Highlights

The focus of this training is to teach educators the logistics of setting up, operating and taking down StarLabs. Geminiʻs Public Information and Outreach staff, Alexis Acohido, led 12 participants in Monday’s training. Once the group was comfortable operating the equipment, Alexis took trainees inside the dome to share her favorite planetarium curriculum.

With the dome fully inflated, training participants prepare to climb inside.

Alexis showed everyone how the solar system cylinder tells the story of our cosmic neighborhood. “Just like we have an address: we live in a house, on a street, in a town, on the Big Island of Hawaii, we also have a cosmic address. We live on the Earth, in our Solar System, in the Milky Way galaxy.” Each trainee had time to operate the cylinder as well as getting answers to questions about giving their own StarLab presentations.

StarLab trainees take turns switching cylinders and operating the StarLab projection system.

The StarLab Portable Planetarium is just one of the many resources Gemini has available to share astronomy with the general public. Mahalo to ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center for hosting, Alexis Acohido for leading and our participants for their dedication to sharing the wonders of the universe!

Janice Harvey of Gemini (right) recalls the joys and surprises that come with presenting planetarium shows.

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Gemini Sponsors Family ASTRO Training!

Gemini Sponsors Family ASTRO Training

The Gemini North Outreach Department, along with the Submillimeter Array (SMA), sponsored another Family ASTRO training on Thursday, September 22nd, hosted by the ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center. These trainings provide resources and curriculum to teachers, parents and community members wishing to bring the latest exciting astronomy research into their teaching. Mimi Fuchs, of the Submillimeter Array, led participants through a series of Family ASTRO activities created by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) and explored their connections to the ground breaking research of the Maunakea Observatories.

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Family ASTRO Training participants Kristen Tanaka (left) and Pūnāwai Rice (right) show off their playdough solar system.

This training session, called “Discovering Strange New Planets,” utilized activities from the Family ASTRO kits “Race to the Planets” and “Moon Mission.” These are hands on, game-based activities that introduce astronomical concepts in a tactile way. Mimi’s approach used these activities to present a new framework of how to talk about the dynamic subject of exoplanets, or planets outside of our own Solar System.

A few of the questions explored during the training included: How is our own Solar System similar or different to these exoplanets? How do astronomers detect exoplanets? How can we help students visualize the distance and size scales of these new worlds? Mimi expanded these basics into an important discussion of how the astronomical community of Hawai’i is leading the way in much of this research.

The training did more than just provide resources, however. Joy Namba, a YWCA Preschool Teacher, came looking for curriculum but left with far more. “I most enjoyed the pure knowledge and excitement I heard as Mimi spoke.  She is very educated and I can hear the passion in her voice.  It makes me want to learn more.”

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Instructors and participants explore activities from the “Race to the Planets” Family ASTRO Kit.

Kristen Tanaka, of Kea’au Elementary, Charlotte Godfrey-Romo of Kalaniano’ole Elementary & Intermediate, and Tara Crawford of Kapi’olani Elementary already have plans to organize Family ASTRO events of their own. Location ideas include school libraries, cafeterias and gyms. 

If you are interested in hosting your own Family ASTRO event but missed our training, don’t worry! Information about upcoming sessions and the Family ASTRO Program in general can be found at our website.

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Family ASTRO Training participants pose for a parting shot holding their favorite activities.

These programs allow us to share the wonders of the universe with our Big Island community and beyond. Mahalo to Mimi Fuchs at the Submillimeter Array, ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center and our participants for making this training a success! 

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First Chile-Korea-Gemini Workshop on Stellar Astrophysics

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First Chile-Korea-Gemini Workshop on Stellar Astrophysics

The astronomy communities in Chile and Korea have established fruitful collaborations in several fields of astrophysics since Koreaʻs engagement with Gemini Observatory as a limited-term participant with Gemini.

Within that framework, Gemini Observatory, Sejong University, and the University of La Serena – with sponsorship by the The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), are organizing the “First Chile-Korea-Gemini Workshop on Stellar Astrophysics”. The workshop will be held from December 4-8, 2016 in La Serena, Chile.

The workshop aims to focus on various research activities on symbiotic stars and related objects, including theoretical and observational studies. Particular emphasis will be placed on the characterization of accretion processes via high-resolution spectroscopy and fast photometry.

Students are encouraged to participate in the workshop. The sponsoring organizations are offering financial support for lodging in the city of La Serena during the days of the workshop. The deadline to request financial support is September 30.

The organizers have selected speakers who represent astronomers from a variety of facilities, which include: Steve Margheim (Gemini Observatory, Chile), Mark Phillips (Las Campanas Observatory, Chile), Miguel Roth (Giant Magellan Telescope, Chile), and other prominent astronomers. To learn more about the planned speakers click here.

The deadlines for final registration, as well as requests for financial support, end on September 30, 2016.

For more information about the workshop visit www.kochil-2016.com or send an email to Rodolpho Angeloni.

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Get to Know Gemini! – Joy Chavez

Get to Know Gemini is a new series of blog posts aimed to highlight the different careers, backgrounds, and types of people contributing to Gemini Observatory and its science.

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Name:  Joy Chavez

What is your current position and at which telescope?

Science Operation Specialist at Gemini South.

In four lines, explain what you do as part of the Gemini Observatory team?

Drive the telescope at night, fix simple problems with the telescope and instruments; observe scientific targets, watching the weather to decide what is appropriate for the conditions (or if we have to close); quality check on data and calibration of the instruments.

How long have you worked for Gemini?

Almost 5 years

What drew you to this job?

I’ve always wanted to work at telescope. I went to graduate school to get the opportunity to observe with the professional telescopes, but observing was the only thing I was good at. Research after you get the data is really hard, and I don’t like it. But with this job, I get to do what I really want without the things I don’t like.

What is the best part of your job?

Working through a clear night, with no telescope problems, observing high-priority science – little rocks in our solar system, distant galaxy clusters, and everything in between. I love completing a night of observing, working through our top-priority queue (target checklist for 6 months).

Where are you originally from/where did you grow up?

I am from Texas. I grew up outside the Dallas area, and lived in various parts of Texas through college and graduate school. I didn’t move out of Texas until I got my job with Gemini.

What skill do you think is most important to know for your job?

Paying attention to detail. A lot of what I do is repetitive, but even after 5 yrs, I use a checklist at the start and end of the night. I can’t rely on habit and accidentally miss something important. And when I’m trying to work through a problem on the telescope, it’s important to understand what is happening in the software and mechanisms.

Why is astronomy important?

I once had a college recruiter scoff at astronomy as having “no economic applications.” It’s not true because of the technology we create that support astronomical discoveries. But the comment does reveal that the true importance of astronomy is close to art. It is fundamentally a human experience to reach beyond the practical and know our place in something grand – the universe, in the case of astronomy. To dismiss it as impractical is to dismiss the fundamental needs of the human soul.

What is your favorite movie?

Depends on the month! Right now, Midnight Special.

What is the latest book you have read?

Bolivar: American Liberator

What three albums would you bring with you to a desert island?

Hymns by Steve Green
Contra La Corriente by Marc Anthony
Silver Anniversary CD by Nielson and Young

What is one hobby of yours?

Knitting

Favorite beverage?

Coffee – beans from the Big Island, ground fresh in a burr grinder, brewed in a French press.

Check back next month to learn more about the staff that help Gemini to explore the Universe and share its wonders!

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Telescope Shutdown at Gemini North and South

Telescope Shutdowns at Gemini North and South Both Completed

Both the Gemini North and South telescopes have ended their respective shutdowns. The Gemini South telescope was scheduled from August 16 – 25, which occurred as planned. The Gemini North telescope shutdown was moved from October to August 10 – 31, which is reflected in the updated schedule.

Gemini South Shutdown

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The collage of photos shows some of the activities involved in the last Shutdown at Gemini South. Credit: Michiel Van Der Hoeven

The Gemini South staff did an outstanding job during the annual shutdown of the telescope, which included preventive maintenance of all mechanisms, including the Acquisition and Guidance unit (A&G), and the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) On Instrument Wave Front Sensor (OIWFS). Additional accelerometers were also fitted inside of the A&G to enhance vibration monitoring capabilities.

After thorough investigation of GMOS-South on the telescope, it was concluded that the grounding scheme in the cabling was the culprit for the noise pattern on the OIWS. The cabling was improved, the grounding schemes were documented for future reference, and final testing should be completed by the time this blog is published.

To improve the chiller operational performance and energy efficiency, additional valves were added to provide a best way to control the cooling circuits of the different systems. It was necessary to boost a complete power shutdown to replace a 200 Amp breaker that was failing intermittently. Information Technology Services (ITS), as well as Gemini and National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) electricians, made a good team and were able to complete this task quickly without any setbacks.

Finally, preventive maintenance on all mechanisms is complete, which included replacing a few gear boxes, and extensive repeatability tests to confirm correct functions of all mechanisms. The science fold was fine tuned and the staff fixed a problem with one of the encoder tapes on the linear slide from the science fold.

With Michiel Van Der Hoeven, Gemini South Head of Engineering Operations

Gemini North Shutdown

As mentioned above, the Gemini North telescope shutdown, originally planned for October, was moved to August. This was to address the issue of a drive shaft bearing failure on one of the Bottom Shutter gearboxes on the 2X/2Y side, which was noticed on July 28, 2016. The repair project was then planned, scheduled, and implemented from August 10 through August 30, 2016.

The biggest task of the shutdown was the Bottom Shutter 2X/2Y Gearbox Repair Project. Gemini North staff finished removing the old 2X/2Y drive box and assembling the new 2X/2Y drive box. The newly assembled 2X/2Y drive box was successfully installed into the Bottom Shutter with the chains adjusted, and the Enclosure Control System (ECS) was tested before handing over the telescope for night operations on the night of August 30, 2016. Due to a repair needed on the other Bottom Shutter Drive Box 1W/1Z, it was decided to leave the bottom shutter locked out in park position for continued night operations, which will be addressed at Gemini North at a later shutdown scheduled during 2017. The 2X/2Y repair project was determined a success by meeting the objectives of completing the repair by the planned schedule and providing Gemini with a fully functional drive box on the 2X/2Y side.

This photo was taken after installing both gearboxes into the drive box.

Completed installation of both gearboxes into the drive box. Credit: Joe DʻAmato

Other tasks during the shutdown include instrument maintenance on GMOS-North and a filter exchange in NIRI. The Acquisition and Guiding (A&G) unit was removed and work was done to the Peripheral Wave Front Sensor 2 (PWFS2). The optics were cleaned, and then the modules were assembled and placed into the Instrument Support Structure (ISS) and electronically connected. The GMOS-North filters and gratings were also cleaned.

Some of the science staff came up to get a close up look at some of the instrument mechanisms.

Several Gemini science staff visit the telescope for a close up look at instrument mechanisms. Credit: Joe DʻAmato

The day crew at Gemini North has done an excellent job during the unexpected shutdown.

Joe D’Amato, Administrative Assistant – Maunakea and John White, Senior Instrumentation Engineer.

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