Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires
The 25 cm TAROT (Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires—Rapid Action Telescope for Transient Objects) is a very fast moving optical robotic telescope on La Silla. It is able to react very quickly to a signal from a satellite indicating that a gamma-ray burst is in progress and can provide fast and accurate positions of transient events within seconds. The data from the TAROT telescope will also be useful for studying the evolution of bursts, the physics of the fireball and of the surrounding material. A twin TAROT telescope is located at the Calern observatory, in France. Both are operated by a consortium led by Michel Boër (Observatoire de Haute Provence, France).
Science goals
Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) follow-up
Links
- Images taken with the TAROT telescope
- Images taken of the the TAROT telescope
- For more information please read the Messenger article.
Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires
| Name: | Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires |
| Site: | La Silla |
| Altitude: | 2375 m |
| Enclosure: | Double sliding roof |
| Type: | Robotic optical telescope |
| Optical design: | Hyperbolic Newtonian reflector |
| Diameter. Primary M1: | 0.25 m |
| Material. Primary M1: | Schott N-SK16 |
| Diameter. Secondary M2: | 0.14 m |
| Material. Secondary M2: | Schott N-SK16 |
| Diameter. Tertiary M3: | None |
| Mount: | Equatorial fork mount |
| First Light date: | 9 September 2006 |