• All proposals to use Gemini in 2024A must use the 2024A Phase I template. When preparing PDF attachments, prospective PIs must follow the proposals template font size requirements in all cases, and avoid using smaller fonts in all sections of Gemini proposals (including in figures and tables).
   
• Classical mode observing is offered in semester 2024A for facility instruments only. Priority Visitor mode is offered at both Gemini North and Gemini South; however if circumstances preclude having people on site, then awarded Priority Visitor time will revert to queue. PIs requesting Classical observing must state in their technical justification how the observations could be done in queue mode (with remote eavesdropping for data quality assessment and decision making). The "Bring One, Get One" Student Observer Support Program remains unavailable for semester 24A.
   
• Gemini South is expected to have a ~10-night engineering shutdown period at the end of the 2024A semester (plus ~9 nights of shutdown at the start of semester 24B). These dates are provisional, and may be subject to change in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

Proposals for time on Gemini, and for time on Subaru via the Gemini-Subaru time exchange program, must use the Gemini Phase I Tool (PIT). Latex and Word templates are available to create PDF attachments which include the science and technical cases, and investigator information. The template has been revised to enable the anonymous review process, and to make proposals requirements uniform across the partners. Two attachments are required for the proposal so that team information can be separated from the science case.

All Gemini proposals requesting time from the US, CA, BR, or AR must be anonymized. Proposals which do not meet the guidelines will be penalised. This applies to proposals requesting time only from these partners, as well as joint proposals requesting time from multiple participants which include any of these partners. This requirement applies whether it is the PI or a co-I that has the relevant partner affiliation.

Specific Timing WIndows: In order to maximize the chances of completing observations with timing windows, 24A proposals should:

• Provide a clear indication of the need for timing windows at Phase 1. If they are highly constraining (e.g. fewer than 6 observing possibilities), then PIs are strongly recommended to list them explicitly.
• Use observing constraints appropriate to the expected conditions. For example, if the only timing window for a proposal occurs during dark time, then the proposers should make sure that they choose SB20 or 50 as appropriate

Additional options in the Time Requests module in the PIT are available for semester 2024A:

Time for baseline partner calibrations is automatically added to the total time requested for each target in the PIT. Investigators should continue to include the time associated with overheads (acquisition time, readout time, etc). The ITC output gives overhead estimates. 'Alopeke and Zorro PIs should include program time for PSF standards if they need them. See the IGRINS at Gemini page for information on how to determine exposure times for that instrument.  PIs with targets that can be observed from either Gemini North or South (e.g. equatorial targets to be observed with one of the GMOS instruments) can request time with both instruments, in that case the time with each instrument should be halved, and the Observatory will update the observation times when targets are scheduled.

Targets of opportunity proposals must include all instrument configurations which the team may want to use, at Phase 1. This enables automatic creation of templates, and avoids errors at Phase 2.

For more details, please refer to Gemini’s page at https://www.gemini.edu/observing.

Gemini North:

** Due to limited sky availability during the semester, GMOS MOS programs requiring pre-imaging should not have targets in this region, and other programs with targets in this region should not require a large amount of time, or have strict timing or observing constraints.

Gemini South:

** Due to limited sky availability during the semester, GMOS MOS programs requiring pre-imaging should not have targets in this region, and other programs with targets in this region should not require a large amount of time, or have strict timing or observing constraints.

Gemini North:
Facility Instruments:

• NIFS, NIRI & GRACES: NIFS, NIRI and GRACES will no longer be offered from semester 24A onwards.

• GNIRS: During semester 24A, near-IR IFU observations are possible with GNIRS using the new low-resolution IFU (GNIRS LR IFU). The associated IFU data reduction pipeline software is currently anticipated to be publicly available during the early part of semester 2024A. IR imaging can also be conducted with GNIRS.

• GMOS-N: The B600 grating will not be available for semester 24A (although the B480 will be available as an alternative option). The R600 grating will only be available for classical observing.

• Altair: It is currently anticipated that NGS, LGS+P1 (“super-seeing”) and LGS modes will be offered for the 24A semester, subject to diagnosis and correction of current, ongoing Altair technical issues. NGS and LGS+P1 modes (for GNIRS LR IFU observations) and NGS, LGS+P1 and LGS modes (for GNIRS imaging) are anticipated to be available. Altair functionality was not confirmed prior to the recent IT-related operational hiatus, and prospective Altair users should consult the Altair News page for instrument status updates.

Visiting Instruments:

• `Alopeke (visiting instrument) - available during specific blocks.

• MAROON-X (visiting instrument) - available during specific blocks.
   

Gemini South:
Facility Instruments:

• GHOST: This will be available for the first time in limited modes for semester 24A. Potential users should check for updates on the GHOST web pages and/or contact the GHOST instrument team for further details. A clear science target list for each GHOST proposal will also be required, in order to avoid possible conflicts with other GHOST programs.

  • SPECIAL NOTE: In addition, GHOST will be offered in limited modes in shared-risk in 23B, via a separate Special FT Call for Proposals. Prospective GHOST users for semester 23B and 24A should take care to ensure that proposals are submitted to their intended semester, and that the appropriate PIT version for that semester is used. 

• GMOS-S: Following the recent detector upgrades, the associated GMOS-S data reduction pipeline software is currently anticipated to be publicly available during the early part of semester 2024A.

• FLAMINGOS-2: A FLAMINGOS-2 maintenance intervention is expected to take place during the April 29 - May 17, 2024 period. Time available may be reduced by approximately 20% for targets at RA 10-11 h and 19-20h, and target monitoring or time critical observations with FLAMINGOS-2 may be impacted. Prospective FLAMINGOS-2 PIs should plan their target lists accordingly.

Visiting Instruments:

• IGRINS: In anticipation of the commissioning of IGRINS-2 at Gemini North, Semester 24A will be the final time in which IGRINS will be offered on Gemini South. In addition, IGRINS will only be available on Gemini South for the months of February, March and April, so IGRINS proposals for semester 24A should only include targets within the RA 05h - 19h range, and time critical observations are limited to this window.

• a href="https://www2.gemini.edu/instrumentation/alopeke-zorro">Zorro will be available, subject to demand, in the 24A semester.  Scheduling will be driven by the demand.

The exchange of time between the Gemini and Subaru communities will continue in 2024A; around 5 nights are expected to be available on Subaru for the Gemini community via the exchange program. A summary of the Subaru capabilities in 2024A is given below, PIs should also consult the Subaru Call for Proposals.

In addition, the Gemini community can propose shorter programs for Subaru's Service mode. PIs must indicate on the proposal whether regular or service time is requested. Service programs must be short programs of less than 4 hours duration including calibration and overheads, using one of IRCS, HDS, FOCAS or MOIRCS. Around 1 night is expected to be available in this mode for the Gemini community. Prospective investigators must carefully review the Service Program web page. In particular, some additional, detailed technical information must be provided at the time of Phase-1 submission. Service proposals are reviewed by the National TACs together with the regular proposals.

Details:

Visiting instruments offered in 2024A, are listed below. Proposals to use visiting instruments must include the instrument PIs as Co-investigators.

• Duplicate Subaru proposals submitted via other routes: If eligible PIs submit a proposal for Gemini Subaru exchange time and also submit the same proposal to a different TAC in parallel (e.g. e.g. researchers via the open use time offered in the Subaru Call, Gemini community PIs via the Gemini time-exchange program or Keck community PIs via the Keck time-exchange program), the proposers are asked to explicitly note the double submission in the proposal./p>

• Proposal submission: Proposals for time on Subaru via the Gemini time-exchange program are submitted via the normal Gemini Phase I process.

• HSC proposal length limits: For semester 24A, Gemini users can request no more than 3.5 nights (35 hours science time including overhead) in the case of HSC queue, and no more than 5.0 nights in the case of HSC classical requests. 

• Instrument switches during the night: Switching between IRD, REACH, CHARIS, VAMPIRES, Fast PDI, and MEC during a single or half-night observation is possible. Please check the Subaru Call for Proposals for the time required for switching instruments.

• Subaru telescope downtime: During semester 2024A, there may be 14-27 nights of downtime due to the inspection of the hydraulic system of the telescope and dome drive system renewal (most likely in June - July).

• Subaru instrument and telescope restrictions:

  • The laser guide star (LGS) system for AO188 will be operated with TBAD (Transponder Based Aircraft Detector) with a shared-risk policy.

  • The near-infrared wavefront sensor (NIR WFS) of AO188 is open in shared risk mode, only for limited modes with IRCS and SCExAO/CHARIS. Please refer to the NIR WFS website and the IRCS webpage for more information. Users planning to submit a proposal must contact the NIR WFS PI and include him in the proposal as a Co-I.

  • The windscreen of the Subaru telescope is out of operation in 2024A, and thus tracking of targets may not be possible in high winds. It is recommended that PIs have targets across a range of RAs so that different azimuth angles are available.

Facility instruments offered in 2024A:

• AO188 (Subaru 188-elements Adaptive Optics system) is available.

• FOCAS (optical camera and spectrograph) is available. 

• HDS (optical high dispersion spectrometer) is available.

• Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC - very wide field optical to far-red imager): There will be at most three (3) or four (4) HSC observing runs in the S24A semester, depending on the number of PFS commissioning runs as well as the timing of the facility maintenance works. Note that some filters require permission from the PI of the filters. All applicants must explicitly describe the filters they intend to use, in their proposal. The desired set as well as the minimum acceptable set should be clearly specified. Please check the HSC website for full details.

• IRCS (infrared camera and spectrometer, with Natural Guide Star Adaptive Optics capability) is available. Prospective PIs should check the filter availability for the instrument before submitting a proposal. The polarimetry mode is a shared-risk mode, accessible via collaboration with the waveplate PI.

• MOIRCS (near-infrared imager and multi-object spectrometer) is available. A new K-band medium-resolution grism will be available MOS Mode will be conditionally available for Service Mode.

Visiting instruments offered in 2024A, are listed below. Proposals to use visiting instruments must include the instrument PIs as Co-investigators.

• CHARIS: Coronagraphic High Angular Resolution Imaging Spectrograph - provides high contrast images of exoplanets, disks, brown dwarfs with SCExAO.

• Fast PDI (in shared-risk mode): polarization differential imaging (PDI) with a high speed (>kHz) near-IR (950 - 1860 nm) low-noise camera (C-RED One), optimized for high contrast imaging of circumstellar disks with SCExAO+AO188. 

• IRD - Infrared Doppler (in shared-risk mode): infrared high-dispersion, high resolution (up to 70,000) fiber-fed spectrometer. The IRD SSP (Subaru Strategic Program) was started in 2019A – any IRD proposal must clarify how its scientific aim is different from SSP. The observing mode REACH (SCExAO+IRD), is available (see below).

• MEC (in shared-risk mode), decision on availability to be made mid-October 2021: the MKID Exoplanet Camera is a near-IR (800-1400nm) photon-counting low-resolution (R~5) integral field spectrograph optimized for high contrast imaging with SCExAO+AO188.

• REACH: REACH can be used simultaneously with CHARIS with any dispersion modes, but the wavelength coverage of CHARIS will be from 1850 nm to the longest wavelengths (please see the CHARIS website for details).

• VAMPIRES: The Visible Aperture Masking Polarimetric Imager for Resolved Exoplanetary Structures (VAMPIRES) is a visible light instrument on the SCExAO system. 

• NsIR Wave Plate Unit: a visiting device for IRCS/SCExAO polarimetry mode.

• NIR-WFS: Near Infrared Wavefront Sensor. Located inside the AO188 instead of the visible curvature wavefront sensor of AO188 for SCExAO and IRCS.