Gemini Observatory

Say it 3 times: Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse. Astronomers using @Geminiobs North found a hidden companion star orbiting inside Betelgeuse’s atmosphere, the first close-in companion ever seen around a supergiant star. 🔗 noirlab.edu/public/news/no… 📷GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

AstroDay 2026 took over Hilo 🌌✨ Families, students, and astronomy fans gathered at Prince Kuhio Mall with the Maunakea Observatories and local STEM organizations for a day full of space activities, art, and cosmic curiosity. 📷: @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

👀 This image of the week looks like it was taken through a piece of glass, but it was not! Those glowing vertical streaks in the top right are light pillars, captured by a CloudCam at the @Geminiobs North Telescope. 📷: @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. Pollard

Two telescopes, one mission to explore the sky. From Hawai‘i to Chile, the International Gemini Observatory, operated by NSF NOIRLab, can see almost the entire sky. 📷 International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Kwon O Chul (Gemini South, on left) P. Horálek (Gemini North)

🌋 Watch the latest Kīlauea eruption (Episode 45) captured last week by one of the @GeminiObs summit cameras on Maunakea!

A rose… in space? 🌹 This is NGC 2040, located about 160,000 light-years away in the constellation of Dorado in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This image was captured by the @Geminiobs South telescope, operated by NSF NOIRLab. 📷:International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Earlier this month, the Merrie Monarch Festival brought the city of Hilo to life, celebrating hula, culture and tradition. @GeminiObs joined in the celebration along w/the @MaunakeaObs and marched in the Merrie Monarch Parade through downtown Hilo. 📷 K.Usuda-Sato and L. Lozi

We found this in the family album 🥹 In January 1998, the Gemini South telescope was just steel and scaffolding on Cerro Pachón in Chile. Gemini South is one half of the International @GeminiObs, operated by NSF NOIRLab. 📷: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T. Sebring (SOAR)

Breakthrough alert! 😲🚨 Researchers just found the first direct evidence that exoplanets inherit rocky-element ratios from their host stars.The data comes from @Geminiobs South, and confirms astrobiologists' long-term suspicions about planet formation. noirlab.edu/public/news/no…

When the night sky steals the spotlight 🌌✨ In this image, the Milky Way stretches across the sky above Gemini South telescope, perched on Cerro Pachón. That bright, glowing core? It’s the heart of our galaxy. 📷: @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/H. Stockebrand

In this timelapse video, @Geminiobs North creates artificial guide stars above Earth. By tracking how those stars shimmer, the telescope’s adaptive optics system adjusts its mirrors to cancel it out in real time. 🎥: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T. Matsopoulos

@NOIRLabAstro @VRubinObs Amazing! 🥳

The NSF–DOE @VRubinObs has released its 1st alerts of detected changes in the night sky, including new asteroids & exploding stars! This is the start of a system expected to generate up to 7M alerts per night🚨 🔗 ow.ly/EFxH50Ym1I7 📹 NSF–DOE @VRubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/AURA

We’ve got #Olympics spirit at Gemini North, where snow and ice briefly closed the observatory this past week. This 📷 from Maunakea in Hawai’i was taken from the neighboring Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. #MilanoCortina2026 📷 Canada France Hawaii Telescope Corporation

Our 22nd Journey Through the Universe Week was a whirlwind of fun! 🤩🔭Mahalo to our 60+ Journey Educators and mahalo nui loa to our 100+ Hilo-Waiākea teachers who invited us into their classrooms 😍 🔗 bit.ly/4clvQmC 📸 @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J.Pollard

Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaking apart! ☄️ On 11 November and 6 December 2025, the comet soared in the skies above Maunakea, Hawai‘i, where Gemini North captured it in action! 📷 @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Bolin Processing: J. Miller & M. Rodriguez, T.A. Rector, M. Zamani

For planetary systems, the excitement doesn’t end after they’re formed! Gemini South, ½ of @GeminiObs, just discovered a cloud of metallic winds orbiting a mystery object the size of multiple Jupiters. 🤔 🔗 ow.ly/kZPB50Y0PFN 📸 @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva

Welcome to day one of #AAS247! Come meet our amazing team and find out what exciting projects we're working on at @GeminiObs, @Cerrotololo, @KittPeakNatObs, CSDC, and @VRubinObs.

We're excited to see all of you at #AAS247! For the latest scoop on our science talks, open house, iposters, demos, swag & more - stay tuned with us on @NOIRLabScience! Daily updates coming your way! #Astronomy

☄️💚 It’s back, and glowing green! After weeks behind the Sun, Comet 3I/ATLAS, the 3rd confirmed interstellar object, has returned to view. @Geminiobs North captured new multicolor images during a live Shadow the Scientists session. 📷: @GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/B. Bolin

Comet Lemmon ((C/2025 A6) streaks across the night sky above @Geminiobs North on Maunakea in this stunning Image of the Week. Captured on 12 November 2025, the comet glows against the Milky Way, green airglow, and the lights of Hawai‘i Island. 📷GeminiObs/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Here’s a 2025 science moment you loved! Release #4 Say it 3 times: Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse Astronomers using @Geminiobs North found a hidden companion star orbiting inside Betelgeuse’s extended atmosphere, the first close-in companion ever seen around a supergiant star