The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO)

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Authors: Dyer, Martin J, Ackley, Kendall, Lyman, Joe, Ulaczyk, Krzysztof, Steeghs, Danny, Galloway, Duncan K, Dhillon, Vik S, O'Brien, Paul, Ramsay, Gavin, Noysena, Kanthanakorn, Kotak, Rubina, Breton, Rene, Nuttall, Laura, Pallé, Enric, Pollacco, Don
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 31.08.2022
• Subjects: Gravitational waves; Optical counterparts (astronomy); Physics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics; Siding; Sky surveys (astronomy); Telescopes
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2208.14901

The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is a wide-field telescope project focused on detecting optical counterparts to gravitational-wave sources. Each GOTO robotic mount holds eight 40 cm telescopes, giving an overall field of view of 40 square degrees. As of 2022 the first two GOTO mounts have been commissioned at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma, Canary Islands, and construction of the second node with two additional 8-telescope mounts has begin at Siding Spring Observatory in New South Wales, Australia. Once fully operational each GOTO mount will be networked to form a robotic, multi-site observatory, which will survey the entire visible sky every two nights and enable rapid follow-up detections of transient sources.