RSAA News of the Month: October 2005
NIFS begins observations in Hawaii
First images show the instrument to be a complete success
[Source: ANU press release, 20 October 2005]
The Near-infrared Integral-Field Spectrograph (NIFS),
shipped to Hawaii in
August 2005, was attached to the Gemini
North 8.1 metre telescope on 11 October. Following extensive
tests, it recorded its first data on Tuesday, 18 October.
NIFS was formally handed over to Gemini on August 4 at
a ceremony at Auspace Ltd.
Left: NIFS with RSAA Director, Penny Sackett,
and the Managing Director of Auspace, Roger Franzen.
Right: Left to right – Doug Simons (Head of
Gemini Instrumentation),
Helen Sim (Gemini media liason, CSIRO),
Paul Francis (Australian Gemini Project Scientist, RSAA),
Penny Sackett (Director, RSAA) and
Peter McGregor (NIFS Project Scientist, RSAA).
The data from NIFS consists of a series of 29 spectra taken across the
field of view. This spectral information give details of the
chemistry and velocity of the objects in the field. The spectra can
also be used to construct an image of the objects.
Images of NIFS being mounted at the focus of the Gemini North Telescope.
NIFS Project Manager, RSAA engineer Mr Jan van Harmelen, said the
first test of NIFS was very successful.
“It was just too
easy! As a result of great preparation work by the Gemini and ANU
NIFS team, we just pointed the telescope at a star and it came in
right in the centre of the NIFS field. A spectrum was taken and a
reconstructed image extracted,” Mr van Harmelen said.
Jan and NIFS Project Scientist, Dr Peter McGregor, both of
ANU, have spent the past month at the Gemini North Observatory
supervising the tests and initial observations with the
instrument. Dr McGregor said: “It is a great relief to see
NIFS produce scientific data. It bodes well for future use of the
instrument. This is another beginning for NIFS, and
thanks to the great work and support of ANU, Auspace and Gemini, it
worked perfectly from the word go.”
NIFS uses a
unique optical design to analyse the light from an object allowing
astronomers to study phenomena in detail, including the
gravitational effects of black holes, the interactions of colliding
galaxies, and the formation and death of stars. The original NIFS
was destroyed in the January 2003 bushfires. NIFS-2 has been
rebuilt by the Canberra-based aerospace company, Auspace Ltd, in collaboration
with Mt Stromlo designers and engineers.
NIFS is part of
the ANU contribution to the Australian Astronomy
Major National Research Facility, supported in part by the Department of Education, Science and
Training.
Some of the first images from NIFS.
Top row at left: is the very first image, taken to
check the pointing and alignment of the instrument.
The field of view of NIFS is 3 arc-minutes square; the star image fell
almost exactly in the centre of the field.
Top row centre: image is of LkHalpha 233, a young star
surrounded by a dusty disk,
a solar system in the early stages of formation.
Top row at right: image is the very young star T
Tauri.
The star is a triple star; most telescopes would see it as a
fuzzy blob.
The combination of Gemini and NIFS is giving image
sharpness approaching that of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Bottom image: is a series of spectral images of the
active galaxy NGC 1068.
The images are "velocity slices",
which allow the motions within the galaxy to be measured.
Note the jet reaching to the right of the galaxy in several of
the frames.
The Director of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics,
Professor Penny Sackett, said the news of NIFS' successful first
observation had been a buzz for staff, and that congratulations
were pouring in from around the world. “The NIFS journey has
been a long one, but the fruits of that labour are now very
tangible, with the successful first astronomical observation by
NIFS,” Professor Sackett said.
“The staff of RSAA
are extremely pleased about the news that the operation to put NIFS
on Gemini North went smoothly, and are looking forward to some of
the best data of distant cosmic objects, provided by NIFS, to
contribute to our already world-class research
projects.”
RSAA staff shared in the excitement of the first images via a video
link to the Gemini North control room during the start of the
second night of observations. There was much discussion of the
first images, technical discussion between the crew at Gemini and
the NIFS team members at Stromlo, and the success of the instrument
was toasted in time-honoured manner.
Trans-Pacific Celebration!
The success of NIFS is shared and toasted by RSAA (centre) and
Gemini (left) staff
via an internet video link (right) on October 20.
And the customer is happy! Head of Gemini Instrumentation, Doug
Simons, had this to say, "That's awesome news! Congrats to the
entire NIFS team for pulling this off. From ashes to first light in
~2.5 years - a stunning feat by any measure and the entire NIFS
team should take great pride in this really remarkable achievement.
Congratulations to everyone there now on the summit, and in
Canberra for building what I'm sure will be a fantastic instrument
for the entire Gemini community!"
The ANU press release can be read here.
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