Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 138, 579-580

TAROT: Observing gamma-ray bursts "in progress''

M. Boër¹ - M. Bringer¹ - A. Klotz¹ - A.M. Moly¹ - D. Toublanc¹ - G. Calvet² - J. Eysseric² - A. Leroy² - M. Meissonnier² - R. Malina³ - P. Sanchez³ - C. Pollas⁴ - H. Pedersen⁵

Send offprint request: M. Boër

Correspondence to: Michel.Boer@cesr.fr

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 , Denmark

Received January 13; accepted March 12, 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 $2\times 2$ 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.

Key words: gamma-ray bursts -- telescopes