TAROT: Observing gamma-ray bursts "in progress”

¹ Centre d'Études Spatiales des Rayonnements (CESR/CNRS), BP. 4346, 31028 Toulouse Cedex 04, France
² Institut National des Sciences de l'Univers (CNRS), Division Technique, 77 Av. Denfert Rochereau, 75014 Paris, France
³ Laboratoire d'Astronomie Spatiale (LAS/CNRS), BP. 8, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, France
⁴ Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, 2130 route de l'Observatoire, Caussols, 06460 St Vallier de Thiey, France
⁵ Copenhagen University Observatory, Juliane Maries Vej 30, 2100 Copenhagen Œ, Denmark

Send offprint request to: M. Boër

Received: 13 January 1999
Accepted: 12 March 1999

Abstract

The primary objective of the Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires (TAROT - Rapid Action Telescope for Transient Objects) observatory is the detection of cosmic Gamma-Ray Burst sources at optical wavelengths while still active in Gamma-rays. It features a very rapid slewing mount, a 25 cm aperture telescope with a  deg. fov, and is able to reach the 17th V magnitude in 10 s. A powerful scheduling algorithm, and an automated data processing system makes TAROT a fully autonomous facility. TAROT entered into service during the fall of 1998.