User's Guide to the Gemini Twin-Arrays Infrared Camera


Table of Contents


Introduction
Quick Reference
What is Gemini?
Summary Table
Quick start - for the expert
Not so quick start - set-up
Graphical User Interface
More About Gemini
Signal-to-Noise Estimates
Filters
Sampling Modes
Writing Scripts
Observing Recipes
Computer Setup
Testing the Arrays
Instrument Maintenance and Trouble-Shooting
Logsheet

Mt. Hamilton Homepage

Introduction

The Gemini Twin-Arrays Infrared Camera is used at the Cassegrain focus of the Shane 3-meter Telescope. It is two separate infrared cameras that can be operated simultaneously to acquire data in two different near infrared bandpasses, through the use of a dichroic beamsplitter. The camera comes equipped with a number of different filters (both broad and narrow band), J-, H-, and K-grisms for spectroscopy, and polarizers.

The Gemini has been in operation since 1993. It was designed by Dr. Ian McLean (UCLA) and was constructed at the UCLA Infrared Imaging Detector Lab.

NOTICE: The Gemini Camera has been decommissioned as of November 2012.

The Gemini IR camrea is available to the University of California astronomical community by subscription.
Follow these links to:

3-m Time Allocation Policy
Observing Time Request Forms

All new users must be checked out by a resident astronomer on their first night. Please request support on your time application.

Please direct questions to a Mount Hamilton support astronomer
sa@ucolick.org.

Contributors to manual:

Ian S. McLean, Harry Teplitz, Fred Lacayanga, George Brims, Suzanne Casement, Don Figer, Samuel B. Larson, Tim Liu, Bruce MacIntosh, Mavourneen Roberts, Jonah Hare, Elinor Gates