A French research team will pay a special visit the Zadko Telescope in mid-April.

Two members of the Zadko project’s collaborators, TAROT (Télescope à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires – Fast Action Telescope for Transient Objects), will be working closely with the Zadko research team to perform robotic testing of the telescope.

They are Dr Michel Boer and Dr Alain Klotz from the Observatoire de Haute-Provence.

Once robotic testing is complete, the Zadko Telescope will be fully integrated into the TAROT network and will be able to begin research in a number of core science areas.

Dr Boer and Dr Klotz will also prepare the Zadko Telescope to be integrated into the LIGO network. The LIGO network is expected to use the Zadko Telescope to perform optical follow-ups of gravitational wave candidates.

In addition, the TAROT team will design a new optical filter system for the Zadko Telescope. The implementation of such a system will significantly broaden the research capabilities of the Zadko Telescope.

Dr Boer and Dr Klotz will return to France on 22 April.