The Gemini Observatory is an astronomical observatory consisting of two 8-metre telescopes at different sites. The Gemini telescopes were built and are operated by a consortium consisting of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia. This partnership is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). The Northern Operations Center is located in Hilo, Hawaii, and the Southern Operations Center is in La Serena, Chile. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of universities and other institutions. ... 50 cm refracting telescope at Nice Observatory. ... Hilo is the largest town on the island of Hawai‘i, and the county seat of Hawai‘i County, Hawai‘i. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... La Serena (the serene one) is the second oldest city in Chile. ...

One telescope (Gemini North, also called the Frederick C. Gillett telescope) is located on Hawaii's Mauna Kea. Its location makes for excellent viewing conditions due to the superb atmospheric conditions on top of the over 4200 m (13,800 ft) high dormant volcano. It saw first light in 1999 and began scientific operations in 2000. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, one of five volcanic peaks that together form the island of Hawaii. ... The first light is the moment when a telescope is first used to take an astronomical image after its construction. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Old Farts by the Sometimes-United Nations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The other (Gemini South) is located at over 2700 m (9000 ft) elevation on a mountain in the Chilean Andes called Cerro Pachón. Very dry air and negligible cloud cover make this another prime telescope location (shared by several other observatories, including the SOAR Telescope and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory). Gemini South saw first light in 2000. The Andes form the longest mountain chain in the world. ... The Southern Astrophysical Research Telescope (SOAR) is located on Cerro Pachón, Chile, and operated by a consortium including Michigan State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the country of Brazil. ... The Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) is a complex of astronomical telescopes and instruments located at 30. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The Gemini Observatory's international headquarters is located in Hilo, Hawaii at the University of Hawaii at Hilo's University Park. The Gemini South base-facility is located on the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) campus in La Serena Chile. Hilo is a coastal city in the State of Hawaii, and is the largest municipal area on the island of Hawai‘i. ... The University of Hawai`i, formally the University of Hawai`i System and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, doctoral and post-doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment training center, three university...

Together, the twin Gemini telescopes provide complete unobstructed coverage of both the northern and southern skies. They are currently the among the largest and most advanced optical/infrared telescopes available to astronomers. Both employ a range of advanced technologies to deliver the highest quality images, including laser guide stars, adaptive optics and multi-object spectroscopy. In addition, the two telescopes allow very high-quality infrared observations due to the advanced protected silver coating of their mirrors and advanced ventilation systems. Thanks to a high degree of networking, the Gemini telescopes can be operated remotely, and observations can be run when atmospheric conditions suit them best, reducing unnecessary travel by astronomers. Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than that of visible light, but shorter than that of radio waves. ... // Experiment using a (likely argon) laser. ... A deformable mirror can be used to correct wavefront errors in an astronomical telescope. ... Extremely high resolution spectrum of the Sun showing thousands of elemental absorption lines (fraunhofer lines) Spectroscopy is the study of matter by investigating light, sound, or particles that are emitted, absorbed or scattered by the matter under investigation. ... A computer network is a system for communication between computers. ...

It is estimated that the two telescopes cost approximately $184 million to construct, and a night on each Gemini telescope is worth about $40,000. ISO 4217 Code USD User(s) the United States, the British Virgin Islands, East Timor, Ecuador, El Salvador, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Panama, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the insular areas of the United States Inflation 3. ...

See also

• List of largest optical reflecting telescopes

Here is a list of the largest optical reflecting telescopes sorted by mirror diameter. ...

External links

• Gemini Observatory (official site)
• Gemini Observatory Image Gallery