GeminiFocus January 2014 | Page 17

Andy Adamson with contributions by Sandy Leggett, Chris Yamasaki, Inger Jørgensen, Bernadette Rodgers, Rodrigo Carrasco, and Benoit Neichel Operations Corner From visiting instruments, to changes in data checking and software development, 2013 ushered in the reshaping of Gemini’s operations. With powerful new instruments like the GeMS multi-conjugate adaptive optics System, FLAMINGOS-2, and the Gemini Planet Imager — all either progressing through integration, or approaching operational status — our users can look forward to even more of the most powerful discovery tools in astronomy today. An Exceptionally Busy Year at Gemini South 2013 was one of the most event-filled years for operations at Gemini South in recent memory. Most of the activity followed a planned maintenance shutdown early in Semester 2013B (see details in section below). During that time the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) was not only delivered, integrated, and comissioned, but saw first light (see cover article in this issue). GeMS/GSAOI (the multi-conjugate adaptive optics system and infrared imager) was also accepted into scientific operations, and FLAMINGOS-2 began doing regular science; the latter attracted many 2013B proposals (see update in the 2013 instrument development article in this issue). The flurry of new instrumentation at Gemini South meant that something had to give, and with T-ReCS already removed from the complement, that something was the Near-infrared Camera and Imager (NICI). Despite some hardware and computer problems in its last few weeks of operation, 70 percent of the 2013A NICI programs received more than 75 percent of their requested data. Gemini South Shutdown The Gemini South winter shutdown was completed successfully, with a wide variety of assignments carried out. One of the biggest jobs was a complete reworking of the summit data center, which included replacing old obsolete racks with new ones. To achieve this, we had to install the computer systems themselves in temporary racks while the old ones were swapped out. We also did maintenance and improvement work on the telescope infrastructure, includ- January2014 GeminiFocus 15