The beginning of scientific operations of Gemini North is scheduled for June 2000, and preparations are under way to support the first scientific users. Each of the Gemini partner countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil) has a national Gemini office that will provide that support to its astronomers. In the US, that office is the US Gemini Program (USGP) at NOAO in Tucson. While the Gemini Observatory will assist observers who come to use the telescope, the USGP will provide all assistance before and after the observing run. This includes the proposal and time allocation process, assistance for proposal writers and those planning their observations, support for users and prospective users to understand the instrumental capabilities and performance, as well as the provision of and support for data reduction software. Additionally, the USGP continues in its roles of community scientific liaison/advocate to Gemini and in managing the procurement of Gemini instruments assigned to the US.
In getting the US astronomical community ready to use Gemini effectively, there are two areas that should be highlighted early--—the proposal process and the help desk.
US proposals for Gemini will be completely integrated with the NOAO proposal process. With the exception of the first call for proposals, the deadlines will be the same for telescopes at KPNO, CTIO, and Gemini. (The first call for proposals will have a deadline of 31 January 2000.) In fact, proposals will be able to request time on multiple telescopes at multiple sites. In the current TAC process, proposals are divided by subject area among panels, allowing each panel to evaluate all proposals to attack a specific problem. When Gemini South becomes available, it too will be integrated into the mix.
In order to most effectively support the users of Gemini in all the partner countries, the Gemini partnership has adopted an electronic help desk that uses a variety of searching and routing procedures to find answers to questions. That help desk can be accessed either through a Web interface (URL can be found through the USGP Web pages) or by phoning the USGP office. More information about how to get answers to questions about all aspects of Gemini from telescope and instrument performance to procedures for applying for time will be publicized in future Newsletters.
Todd Boroson