The Zadko telescope: A southern hemisphere telescope for optical transient searches, multi-messenger astronomy and education

Abstract

The new 1m f/4 fast-slew Zadko Telescope was installed in June 2008 about 70km north of Perth, Western Australia. It is the only metre-class optical facility at this southern latitude between the east coast of Australia and South Africa, and can rapidly image optical transients at a longitude not monitored by other similar facilities. We report on first imaging tests of a pilot program of minor planet searches, and Target of Opportunity observations triggered by the Swift satellite. In 12 months, 6gamma-ray burst afterglows were detected, with estimated magnitudes; two of them, GRB 090205 (z=4.65) and GRB 090516 (z=4.11), are among the most distant optical transients imaged by an Australian telescope. Many asteroids were observed in a systematic 3-month search. In September 2009, an automatic telescope control system was installed, which will be used to link the facility to a global robotic telescope network; future targets will include fast optical transients triggered by high-energy satellites, radio transient detections, and LIGO gravitational wave candidate events. We also outline the importance of the facility as a potential tool for education, training, and public outreach. © Astronomical Society of Australia 2010.