7 December 2007: CASCA Board statement

re possible withdrawal of the UK

from the Gemini Observatory

The Board of the Canadian Astronomical Society (CASCA) deeply regrets the possible withdrawal of the United Kingdom , a founding partner, from the Gemini Observatory. The UK has made sustained contributions to the present-day excellence of Gemini. These include joint development (with Canada) of Gemini’s workhorse instruments, the GMOS multi-object spectrographs, as well as numerous highly-cited joint research programmes between UK astronomers and scientists from throughout the partnership, including Canada.