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M. Chun (Gemini Observatory)
The combination of a large-aperture telescope and an adaptive optics system that works with faint guide stars has proven to be a powerful tool for a wide range of science programs from the local universe to the very distant. Particularly exciting is the headway Gemini-North/ University of Hawaii adaptive optics system (Hokupaa) is making in extragalactic astronomy, a traditionally limited field for current adaptive optics systems. We present preliminary results from a number of extragalactic programs underway on the Gemini-North telescope with the University of Hawaii adaptive optics system. These programs include studying the stellar populations in the nearby galaxy M32, measuring the distances to galaxies well beyond 100 Mpc with surface brightness fluctuations, searching for low-luminosity galaxies in the line-of-sight of low-redshift quasar damped Lyman-alpha systems, and studying the morphology and colors of distant (z ~0.5) field galaxies. These programs provide only a small sampling of the extragalactic programs underway during the Gemini-North QuickStart Service observing semester. In total the range of observations span from local brown dwarf/planetary searches to studies of the morphology of high redshift radio galaxies.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: mchun@gemini.edu