Figure 6 . The new Hamamatsu
CCDs mounted and aligned in the Focal Plane Array and ready to be installed into the Test Cryostat to start preinstallation Acceptance Testing . Image credit :
John White
Figure 7 . The first light ( raw ) image of the new Hamamatsu CCDs ; the 12 amplifiers see light , and show no evidence of cosmetic defects . Image credit : Luc Boucher
Figure 8 . AAO Engineer Vlad
Churilov and the GHOST mock optical cable during testing in Chile . Image credit : David
Henderson
Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph ( GHOST )
As we near the midpoint of the GHOST project build phase , the build team continues to receive parts from its suppliers , and the assembly of the instrument and the development of the software progresses on schedule . The team recently completed some verifications on the telescope at Gemini South .
In November 2016 , engineers from the Australian Astronomical Observatory ( AAO ) and Gemini successfully verified the alignment of the Instrument Support Structure ( ISS ) mounting surface relative to the telescope optical axis . This was important to check because any misalignment needed to be within tolerance to ensure that the GHOST system throughput is maintained . The GHOST Cassegrain unit is designed to be mounted directly on the ISS and both of its integral field units are designed to project the telescope pupil , which is coincident with the secondary mirror , onto the fiber core of the fibers which connect with the spectrograph in the pier lab . The fibers are protected by an outer conduit , constituting the optical cable assembly , running the length between the telescope and pier lab .
In October , other engineers from AAO and Gemini ran some tests using a mock optical cable assembly to demonstrate how this cable would move , and to identify any potential problem areas , such as snagging , as the telescope changes positions ( Figure 8 ). These tests resulted in some minor design tweaks , and an overall confidence in the cable design . We expect the first delivery of GHOST subassemblies , Cassegrain unit , and cable assembly at Gemini South to occur in the fourth quarter of this year .
— David Henderson
48 GeminiFocus January 2017 | 2016 Year in Review