Gemini North
| Name(s) |
Gemini North |
| Status |
Operational |
| Broad Science Goals |
- Twin telescopes in both hemispheres provide participant members with access to the entire sky
- To provide the best image quality possible from the ground for telescopes of their size.
- To provide the cleanest possible (i.e. lowest possible emissivity) telescopes, for optimal infrared observing from the ground.
The Gemini Observatory is a world-leader in wide-field adaptive optics assisted infrared imaging, and supports research in almost all areas of astronomy.
|
| Site |
Maunakea, Hawai‘i, USA |
| Location Coordinates |
19º49.4’N
155º28.1’W |
| Altitude |
4124 meters (13,825 ft) |
| Enclosure |
46-meter rotating dome |
| Type |
Optical/Infrared telescope |
| Optical Design |
Ritchey-Chretien Cassegrain |
| Field of View |
Maximum 10 arcminutes diameter on the bottom port, and 7 arcminutes diameter on the side ports due to science fold mirror size |
| Diameter: Primary M1 |
8.1 meters |
| Material: Primary M1 |
Corning Ultra-Low Expansion (ULE) Glass |
| Diameter: Secondary M2 |
1.0 meter |
| Material: Secondary M2 |
|
| Mount |
rapid tip-tilt and chopping mechanism |
| First Light Date |
1999 |
| Adaptive Optics |
AO system, ALTAIR, has been offered at Gemini North since 2003 and is now available for use with both natural and laser guide stars with NIRI and NIFS. |
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Please help us to complete this page by emailing information and corrections to info@noirlab.edu.
Updated on February 15, 2022, 3:56 am