NIRSPEC Introduction

In return for one of Gemini's Aladdin InSb arrays, the W. M. Keck Observatory has agreed to provide limited access by the Gemini Community to its 1-5µm spectrograph, NIRSPEC, on the 10-m Keck II telescope on Mauna Kea. The Gemini community has been allocated a total of twelve nights of NIRSPEC time (3 nights per semester) from Semester 2000A through Semester 2001B. The Gemini/NIRSPEC observations are organized and are being undertaken as a "Service" program by Gemini staff.

This is the final semester of the program.

NIRSPEC is a near-infrared single-slit cross-dispersed echelle and grating spectrometer operating at the Nasmyth focus on Keck II. It features a 1024-squared InSb detector array and provides spectroscopy at resolving powers of R~1,500-3,000 or R~15,000-75,000 over the 1-5µm wavelength range. The instrument was built at UCLA under the direction of Professor Ian S. McLean (see McLean et al. SPIE, vol. 3354, pp. 566-578). Official information on NIRSPEC is available at Keck Observatory. Information useful to the Gemini community is available by using the menu to the left of this frame.

The Gemini/NIRSPEC observing program is being led by Gemini scientific staff members Tom Geballe and Marianne Takamiya. Use of Gemini/NIRSPEC time is organized as a "Service" program, along the lines of the Service Observing programs at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Proposals are submitted directly to Gemini via the worldwide web or via email. The review process makes use of external (scientific) and internal (technical) assessors. Therefore, management of the program is directly between Gemini and the Gemini user communities, via the web and email, and, unlike the Gemini time allocation process, does not involve any of the Gemini national project offices.

The primary selection criteria for the proposals are scientific quality, technical feasibility, efficiency, and observing time requirements. Balanced partner shares will not be a requirement, but will be reported to the GSC. The actual observing, distribution of the resulting data, and provision of necessary support for users are performed by Tom and Marianne.

Please select items on the menu to the left of this page to obtain the specifications and performance of NIRSPEC, the application form (either web-based or ascii), instructions on filling out the form, information on data reduction, and the latest news.

Submission of proposals for this program is via the account keck@gemini.edu. You will receive notification of receipt of application within one day. All queries should be submitted using the Gemini HelpDesk (follow this link to the request submission web page).

Last update September 1, 2001 Tom Geballe