01.21.09
IYA 2009 – Mini-shutdown
It looks like Gemini might be back on the sky taking data tonight. There was a mini-shutdown to make repairs, maintenance, and improvements to a central piece of the telescope system.
I did a quick survey of my work emails today. Last week, the Gemini North telescope was put in shutdown mode for major work on the back end of the telescope (behind the primary mirror, where the instruments are installed). This was a planned shutdown. And believe me ‘planned’ in the word. It is amazing to me to see how the engineers can plan their work to the minute.
Last night, some on-sky tests were run. Unfortunately, the weather did not fully cooperate. But looking at the revised planned, it seems that some instruments can be tested on-sky tonight and if they check-out, some science will be done. Again, if the weather cooperates.