[ASA] GMTO Newsletter - August 2018

Wed Aug 29 03:59:13 AEST 2018

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GMTO Newsletter - August 2018
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Welcome to the August newsletter
In mid-July the GMT project reached a major milestone: the start of excavation on
the site for the foundations for the telescope's pier and enclosure, and for the
 primary mirror coating chamber. The rock comprising Las Campanas peak is extremely
hard and so a hydraulic hammer is needed to break up the rock before it is collected
by a backhoe and hauled away. The entire excavation process is expected to take 
around 5 months as we remove roughly 5,000 cubic meters of material.

We have recently achieved another significant milestone with the release of the 
2018 GMT Science Book that describes GMT's strengths and its promise for scientific
discovery. Spearheaded by the GMT Project Scientist, this spectacular publication
was written by GMT's Science Advisory Committee and by scientists from around the
world.

Finally, GMT has begun working with the Thirty Meter Telescope and the National 
Science Foundation's National Optical Astronomy Observatory to articulate a community-based
science program for presentation to the next Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics,
which got underway this past month.

Also in this newsletter we profile Barbara Fischer, a new mechanical engineering
 manager focused on the primary mirror support system, and we describe how the wavefront
sensing and control team tested a prototype of the mirror phasing camera on the 
Magellan Clay telescope. Lastly, you can read about our time at SPIE: Astronomical
Telescopes + Instrumentation, and the fun we had exhibiting at "AstroFest 2018".

Remember you can always keep up to date with what's happening at GMTO from our website,
gmto.org [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCca7TXOiVN0XQLuPNnyCH9r3UORAE5j_vH_ZwmlJlGYj2T3O3DBoV_9lsgLAT36-4AbDKUCfP1vuMU6OBephrMAjoh2BrAzd89tzpXK1wL7B&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==],
or from our presence on social media.
Read the whole newsletter here. [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9t4i84j9uBDDZZOORrcPQ92U71NCISSrh0ZeTkn1s2jhwNw5c4cs0WcoVUWsSKBwBkprtN6ldOc1ovWdt_Dy4PncSwC6zY_XVGkKHe0Cz-q4AQmWyfmSZZCMtpMATrLLsk91fVIcaIK4=&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==]
-Dr. Patrick McCarthy
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Excavation begins on GMT site
On August 14, GMTO announced the start of hard rock excavation for the Giant Magellan
Telescope's massive concrete pier and the foundations for the telescope's enclosure
on its site at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The work is being performed by
 Minería y Montajes Conpax, a construction services company that has previously 
performed site work for other observatories in Chile. Using a combination of hydraulic
drilling and hammering, the excavation work is expected to take about five months
to complete.
Read more... [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9o2hnv1kQlCg7nPjN-jOz_O2xdC7lu9otDU5xwcvMuOS77kEJODEeuuuhCDqlAZoDwpok-l-1-ZjNFxhDWNpF6mKfqyQ7dARvSac1CszeM3WUUZwn-8R6nllSXarbvKN_8m5gVlzPVCohR_MNqrzme-D1kD1o523RXGl_6R4zzuw=&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==]
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Developing a science vision for the Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 Decadal Survey
In May, GMTO, the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory (TIO) and the
 National Science Foundation's National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO) announced
a collaboration to articulate a community-based science program for presentation
 to the next Decadal Survey of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Access to both the northern and southern hemisphere's sky with extremely large telescopes
(ELTs) having the capabilities of the GMT and the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will
provide unique scientific opportunities in the coming decade and beyond. We look
 forward to working with our colleagues in the GMT, TMT, and NOAO communities to
 develop the science case for the two telescopes for the upcoming Decadal Survey.
For more information please visit the US ELT Program website [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9mPIUVR3KbZ7P7epPrj8nw_Q0J_Gni8zeqQ0V8zIfa1z1Y8P-Fc59iEIbPdSuib45qdRYmA0bOhNb-wOouUmgZwjhWhCI0YiH3ANNE3A65K2bvM0im3Izvx1BdQ2OJeOV&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==].
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2018 GMT Science Book released
We are pleased to announce that the 2018 Science Book describing the GMT's strengths
and its potential for scientific discovery is now released and available for download
as a pdf.
The book is divided into nine chapters that describe the transformative impact that
GMT will have on areas spanning observational astrophysics - from exoplanets around
neighboring stars to the formation of the first stars, galaxies, and black holes
 in the universe. The first chapter provides a technical overview of the GMT itself,
explaining its unique design and capabilities, including the first-generation instrument
suite that has been chosen to maximize the GMT's scientific impact during early 
operations.
Read more and download the book... [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9wNzFolBCQobChid0CTA2hLDQT7Nqv0mF2ZnGRRFPXoL3E8QE2CRwrkfEK52kUhcw1XPYdhQduzPjEEMltcnuQjNmj1UPkJoSjSply74q7v0ymOx2CwIIJQjj_aifDCNSgAil4NaJnkh-6HVquK-8F9XzAGMt-G6O&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==]
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Phasing the GMT mirrors: prototype testing at Magellan
In May of this year, a team of scientists from GMTO, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory,
and the University of Arizona took a prototype of the GMT phasing camera to the 
6.5 meter Magellan Clay telescope for testing. The heart of the phasing sensor is
the Dispersed Fringe Sensor (DFS) - a set of prisms that spread the light that falls
on adjacent primary mirror segments into its constituent colors. When installed 
on the GMT, the DFS will be able to detect whether the GMT's seven mirrors are in
phase - i.e. whether the edge of one mirror is a fraction of a light wave higher
 or lower than its neighbor.
Read how their experiment turned out... [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9wQjz20Vpl3LN5vZ5Hgj_NTekzwzc6TxaJMEc4RaWtZx9GYv2V_HjmG_SbDFnWcRcK6j6vTs9PDZV5syM41ZxAUEBQHzN-13qgf5BUbqvVg9CBQHugKdrj5bdrMMCCd4zy7AaV5DwciX1cDDSHh1wMg==&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==]
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Profile: Barbara Fischer
Primary Mirror Subsystem Manager
We are pleased to welcome Barbara Fischer to the GMT team. Barbara is the lead engineer
for GMT's primary mirror subsystem. For this newsletter, she answered some questions
about her life and career.
What is your role with GMTO?
I have assumed the responsibility of leading the primary mirror positioning, support,
and thermal environment systems development team. They are currently undergoing 
prototype development of the actuators, positioners and control system, and manufacturing
of the test cell weldment. Next year, the team will start integration of the test
cell to a challenging schedule and budget. The success of the test cell is crucial
for ensuring that GMT has a sound support system for the primary mirror, the design
is qualified for production and validation of the mount interfaces.
Read Barbara's full profile here... [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9Gh6_YoppNx0vpEY-dZICQJDfzQx7gc9ogvkktr5murXI_ymFkYjkZHU9t9oYjvvzUadI6aqRuoYnGOhdpOKE4KNd3x25GjZqzC8zYvqpcQM6LmQGGqAxIJ0OzNt-JFYRWeiGs9ZpvXDNU59lsLk1DfRia_ZRYbzM&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==]
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GMTO attends SPIE: Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2018
In June, a number of GMTO engineers attended SPIE: Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation
2018 in Austin, TX to present their work to their peers. Project Manager James Fanson
gave a well-received project status talk; the Site, Enclosure and Facilities lead,
Bruce Bigelow, jointly hosted a meeting on enclosure design; and Instrument Manager
Adam Contos and Instrument Scientist Rafael Millan-Gabet organized a splinter meeting
for all the instrument teams across the GMTO partnership.
GMTO also hosted a booth in the exhibit hall and took part in the job fair. Check
out our current job openings on GMTO's employment page [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9HinpfG_HSu-zy1hh6BboG3pIWfEVoy3RThuLxJr_r2n_oPsXz4K1KSrKkWMWITcDzzBcMGurR7t6NW2kZOJEqRvHBApFFd8ng6vlaQO9QxsO4gtYqJMh2A==&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==].
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GMTO exhibits at the City of Astronomy's AstroFest 2018
GMTO exhibited at the City of Astronomy's AstroFest 2018 in Pasadena in July. This
family-friendly and free event welcomed over 2,700 people, including the Mayor of
Pasadena, Terry Tornek. GMTO's volunteers enjoyed showing visitors our virtual reality
system, the 3D model of the central mirror and our ever-popular hologram. Read more
in our blog [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001HBsYWJW6hxnGDXsm9gChw-2x_LaVXTgxvhTMiFK21HtympKzgt6sCR1CCCF05RF9zWlB5uxMeerOsvbWVaUSCPIth90ft8CrxG4Vhux6uA7ZudjewOSo4Rys7Cjg5XATPQfw1_DkxtG78hR__UqOC_v-2SoHo0ktTvf2KDCd1DtWLifLKzD0nFuwDDzDfq9eLXaWWXhsO-XHqTlO2qOJpe4lDM4cvdczvVMLOK6bM81aqkhYSy6Gvgbny1sX1MMO&c=FLx4BDNAF8bUiKpIM8-GPQzh6dVmhdWOQHpgzE3HTSZGQqjHI1LUcQ==&ch=aY5ke_99phMtgWyOFB3wHDKfzzTm7nSpmKTCMOkLCHGA_YOUTnfIlQ==].
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