Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
1765260 | Advances in Space Research | 2011 | 7 Pages |
Abstract
Since it is not possible to predict when a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) will occur or when Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) flaring activity starts, follow-up/monitoring ground telescopes must be located as uniformly as possible all over the world in order to collect data simultaneously with Fermi and Swift detections. However, there is a distinct gap in follow-up coverage of telescopes in the eastern U.S. region based on the operations of Swift. Motivated by this fact, we have constructed a 14â³ fully automated optical robotic telescope, Goddard Robotic Telescope (GRT), at the Goddard Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory. The aims of our robotic telescope are (1) to follow-up Swift/Fermi GRBs and (2) to perform the coordinated optical observations of Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) AGN. Our telescope system consists of off-the-shelf hardware. With the focal reducer, we are able to match the field of view of Swift narrow instruments (20â²Â à20â²). We started scientific observations in mid-November 2008 and GRT has been fully remotely operated since August 2009. The 3Ï upper limit in a 30 s exposure in the R filter is â¼15.4 mag; however, we can reach to â¼18 mag in a 600 s exposures. Due to the weather condition at the telescope site, our observing efficiency is 30-40% on average.
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Authors
T. Sakamoto, C.A. Wallace, D. Donato, N. Gehrels, T. Okajima, T.N. Ukwatta,