Gemini North Mirror Receives New Silver Coating During Major Shutdown During the second half of July 2008, the Gemini North telescope facility on Mauna Kea underwent a major 20-day scheduled shutdown. The shutdown allowed engineers and technicians to address a number of deferred upgrades and maintenance projects, that are only possible during an extended period of electromechanical work. Included was the successful re-coating of the 8-meter primary mirror with protected silver.
After four weeks of recovery efforts from the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the island of Hawai'i on October 15th, the Gemini North telescope resumed regular science operations on November 11 with deep GMOS spectroscopy as part of a queue-scheduled program.