Gemini Observatory

United States · Research Services

The Gemini Observatory consists of twin 8-meter optical/infrared telescopes located on two of the best sites on our planet for observing the universe. The Gemini South telescope is located at almost 9,000' elevation on a mountain in the Chilean Andes called Cerro Pachon. Cerro Pachon shares resources with the adjacent SOAR Telescope and the nearby telescopes of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory. The Frederick C. Gillett Gemini North Telescope is located on Hawaii's Mauna Kea as part of the international community of observatories that have been built to take advantage of the superb atmospheric conditions on this long dormant volcano that rises almost 14,000' into the dry, stable air of the Pacific. Gemini’s international headquarters is located in Hilo, Hawaii at the University of Hawaii at Hilo's University Park. Both Gemini telescopes have been designed to take advantage of the latest technology and thermal controls to excel in a wide variety of optical and infrared capabilities. One example of this is the unique Gemini coating chamber that uses "sputtering" technology to apply protected silver coatings on the Gemini mirrors to provide unprecedented infrared performance. Gemini's aggressive instrument program keeps the observatory at the forefront of astronomical research. By incorporating technologies such as laser guide stars, Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics and multi-object spectroscopy, astronomers in the Gemini partnership have access to the latest tools for exploring the universe. Gemini was built and is operated by a partnership of 7 countries: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Australia, Brazil and Argentina. The Gemini telescopes have been integrated with modern networking technologies to allow remote operations from control rooms at both base facilities, Hilo and La Serena. Gemini uses "Queue Scheduling" to assure astronomers in partnering countries the best possible match between observation, instrument and observing conditions