Gemini

The Gemini Partnership

Australia is currently a member of the International Gemini Partnership through an agreement between the US National Science Foundation and the Australian Research Council (ARC). This membership allows Australian astronomers access to 6.19% of the available telescope time on the two 8m Gemini telescopes located in Chile and Hawaii.

Australian Gemini Office (AusGO)

At the start of 2008, AusGO will move from the ANU to the AAO, and AAL will take responsibility for the financial management of Australia's Share of Gemini. AusGO will continue to maintain its support of Australia's use of 8m-class telescopes and keep the community informed through its webpage.

Australian Gemini Undergraduate Summer Studentships (AGUSS)

AAL sponsors the AGUSS scheme, which provides an annual opportunity for three undergraduate students enrolled at Australian universities to carry out a 10 week research project at the Gemini South observatory in La Serena, Chile. Students work closely with Gemini Observatory staff, participate in a lecture course offered at Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory, and present their final results via video link to sites in Australia. Application details can be found at the AGUSS web site.

Aspen Program

As part of its membership, Australia is required to contribute a 6.19% share of the costs of the Aspen instrument program which will equip the Gemini telescopes with the next generation of state-of-the-art instruments over the next 5 years. The next 12 months will be critical for this program with the commencement of concept design studies for the Wide-Field Multi-Object Spectrograph (the major Aspen instrument), and a review of Aspen funding undertaken by the International Gemini Board. As more information becomes available, AAL will look to identify Australia's financial commitment to the Aspen program over the life of the NCRIS grant.