Gemini Observatory

I spy with my little eye… an 8-meter telescope mirror making a rare daytime appearance 👁️ This image captures the full scale and remoteness of the Gemini South telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, which is partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Located 2715 meters (8900 feet) above sea level on Cerro Pachón in Chile, Gemini South benefits from the stable conditions of the local atmosphere. The dry air that supports good ‘seeing’ for the telescope is almost palpable above the sprawling Chilean Andes in the background. Scientists around the world use Gemini to answer fundamental questions about the origin, structure, and evolution of the Universe, as well as exoplanets and dark energy. 📷: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T. Matsopoulos #astronomy #telescope #science #chile

Science news! 🚨Using the Gemini South telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab and the Magellan Baade Telescope, astronomers have for the first time observed a recurring nova outside of the Milky Way in near-infrared light. The data revealed highly unusual chemical emissions as well as one of the hottest temperatures ever reported for a nova, both indicative of an extremely violent eruption. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eGeRYRZd Illustration: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Garlick, M. Zamani #astronomy #science #telescope #chile

Have you ever wished upon a shooting star?✨ Shooting stars are not actually stars at all, but are seen when small rocks from space, called meteoroids, smash through the Earth’s atmosphere. The rocks, as they pass through the atmosphere, cause a streak of light and become a meteor. This photographer was lucky enough to capture a meteor above the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Petr Horálek, the photographer, is a NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador. 🔗https://lnkd.in/eze6cH_N Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava), M. Kosari #shootingstar #milkyway #astronomy #telescope

NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Science, has achieved a major milestone with the installation of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) Camera, and entered its final phase of testing before capturing the long-awaited and highly-anticipated "first look" images, followed by the start of the LSST. Weighing over 3,000 kilograms, the 3,200-megapixel camera is at the center of NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory’s optical system. Using the LSST Camera, Rubin Observatory will repeatedly scan the southern night sky for a decade, creating an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of the universe. This endeavor will bring the night sky to life and the data will be used by researchers around the world, enabling groundbreaking scientific discoveries and advancements that will help us understand our universe better, chronicle its evolution, delve into the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter and reveal answers to questions we have yet to imagine. "This is the last major step in the construction of one of the most ambitious scientific facilities ever created,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "It's a testament to the technical prowess and dedication of the entire NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory team — and the scientific community that has been striving to get to this point for over two decades.” https://bit.ly/4kKBArJ 📸:NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory/B. Quint

“Alarmante”: #ESO asegura que sus principales #telescopios en #Chile quedarán cegados por proyecto industrial El organismo científico presentó un informe donde detalla una serie de dificultades si un #megaproyecto minero que busca instalarse cerca de #Paranal finalmente es aprobado. European Southern Observatory AES Andes #inna La Tercera https://lnkd.in/dm3QSy-n

Congratulations to all my colleagues on this exciting result. To think we've gone from first antenna to first image in just one year is huge. I look forward to all the incredible science and technological innovation this project will open up over the next decade and beyond.

🚨 ESO analysis confirms that the INNA industrial megaproject would have a devastating and irreversible impact on the facilities at Paranal Observatory. ➡️ Light pollution would increase by at least 35% above the Very Large Telescope (VLT), by a minimum of 5% above ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) and by at least 55% above the south site of CTAO ➡️ Air turbulence would also increase, degrading seeing conditions by up to 40% ➡️ Vibrations from the project could seriously impair the functioning of the ELT and the VLT Interferometer (VLTI), which are both extremely sensitive to micro-seismic noise.  ➡️ Dust during construction is also problematic as it settles on the telescope mirrors and obstructs their view. “Taken together, these disturbances seriously threaten the current and long-term viability of Paranal as a world-leader in astronomy, causing the loss of key discoveries about the Universe and compromising Chile’s strategic advantage in this area,” says Itziar de Gregorio-Monsalvo, ESO’s Representative in Chile. “With a brighter sky, we severely limit our ability to directly detect Earth-like exoplanets, observe faint galaxies, and even monitor asteroids that could cause damage to our planet.” INNA includes multiple energy and processing facilities, spread over an area of more than 3000 hectares, the size of a small city. Its planned location is just a few kilometres from the Paranal telescopes. INNA's infrastructure is likely to encourage the development of an industrial hub in the area, which could turn Paranal into an unusable site for top-level astronomical observations. “The only way to save Paranal’s pristine skies and protect astronomy for future generations is to relocate the INNA complex,” says de Gregorio-Monsalvo. “ESO and its Member States are fully supportive of energy decarbonisation. For us Chile should not have to make a choice between hosting the most powerful astronomical observatories and developing green-energy projects. Both are declared strategic priorities by the country and are fully compatible — if the different facilities are located at sufficient distances from one another,” says ESO Director General Xavier Barcons. The full technical report will be submitted to the Chilean authorities later this month as part of the Citizen Participation Process (PAC) in INNA’s environmental impact assessment. We take this opportunity to thank the Chilean community, as well as all those in our Member States and around the globe who have supported this cause. We also thank the Chilean authorities for looking into this matter. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e_6ZmTfw 📷 ESO/P. Horálek

I’m happy to share that I just retired and I am intending to work (time permitting) as a Senior Engineering Consultant

Durante cinco décadas, los bocetos de Gabriel Pérez y su enfoque metódico de resolver problemas inspiraron a sus colegas. Ahora que se jubila, sus colegas comparten sus reflexiones sobre él y cómo sus conocimientos de ingeniería ayudaron a poner en marcha tres grandes telescopios de NOIRLab. Lee el blog aquí: https://lnkd.in/ectYcYuT #blog #astronomia #ciencia #telescopio #chile

✨🌌 Breathtaking views from Maunakea! The stunning Milky Way stretches across the sky, while the lights of cities in Hawai‘i twinkle below. 🌟 With its storied volcanic past, Maunakea home of Gemini North, supported in part by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab, offers astronomers unmatched observing conditions. Download this image here: https://lnkd.in/eCN5ujzZ Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. Chu #astronomy #universe #milkyway #hawaii