Rubin-LSST

Abstract:

As the only two optical instruments appearing in its first fleet of instrumentation, the GEMINI MultiObject Spectrograph (GMOS) are indeed being developed as workhorse instruments. One GMOS will be located at each of the GEMINI telescopes to perform: a) exquisite direct imaging, b) 5.5 arcminute longslit spectroscopy, c) up to 600 object multislit spectroscopy, and d) about 2000 element integral field spectroscopy. The GMOSs are the only GEMINI instrumentation duplicated at both telescopes. The UK and Canadian GMOS team successfully completed their critical design review in February 1997. They are now well into the fabrication phase, and will soon approach integration of the first instrument. The first GMOS is scheduled to be delivered to Mauna Kea in the fall of'99 and the second to Cerro Pachon one year later. In this paper, we will look at how a few of the more interesting details of the final GMOS design help meet its demanding scientific requirements. These include its transmissive optical design and mask handling mechanisms. We will also discuss our plans for the mask handling process in GEMINI'S queue scheduled environment, from the taking of direct images through to the use of masks on the telescope. Finally, we present the status of fabrication and integration work to date.

Abstract:

Cyg X-3 is an unusual X-ray binary which shows remarkable correlative behavior between the hard X-ray, soft X-ray, and the radio. We present an analysis of these long term light curves in the context of spectral changes of the system. This analysis also incorporates a set of pointed RXTE observations made during a period when Cyg X-3 made a transition from a flaring state (including a major flare) to a quiescent radio state. © 1999 OPA (Overseas Publishers Association) N.V. Published by license under the Gordon and Breach Science Publishers imprint.