Gemini North Resumes Operations－Update

Gemini North restarted night-time observations on 19 May. The Hawaiʻi State stay-home order was still in place but we had received permission from the governor to resume limited operations. We therefore began with a very minimal startup (designated “Phase 1”), sufficient only to operate at night but with no instrument changes and no project work on the mountain. Two day crew staff went to the mountain three times per week, and our night crew (limited to two) were each provided a separate work space in our two buildings so that they were able to stay physically isolated but remain in constant contact with each other and the remote observing teams through videoconferencing. The great majority of staff continued to telework, and the Hilo office was largely empty during daylight hours. 

More recently, Hawaiʻi relaxed its restrictions on businesses allowing more staff on the mountain during the day, and the night staff to work in the base facility’s single large control room where the workstations are more than 6 feet apart. Everyone is continuing with social distancing and using personal protective equipment as appropriate. With more staff on the summit, we are able to resume limited instrument changes, and a switch from MAROON-X to NIRI is imminent as we write this. MAROON-X had an excellent period on the telescope (more details below) and our popular speckle instrument, ʻAlopeke, has also just completed a highly successful run, happily coincident with good weather, and supported by the instrument team remotely. Steve Howell, the ʻAlopeke PI, said it was one of their best runs ever at Gemini!