GOTO (telescope array)

The Gamma-ray Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is a ground-based optical telescope array designed to rapidly detect and characterize transient astronomical events, particularly optical counterparts to gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and gravitational wave events. Located at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma, Canary Islands, GOTO aims to provide early and precise localizations of these high-energy phenomena, allowing for more detailed follow-up observations by larger telescopes across the electromagnetic spectrum.

The GOTO array utilizes multiple wide-field telescopes to continuously monitor a large area of the sky. This wide-field capability is crucial for catching the fleeting optical signals associated with GRBs and other transients, which can fade quickly. The system is automated to identify potential transient candidates, quickly triggering follow-up observations and alerts to the wider astronomical community.

GOTO's ability to provide rapid and accurate localizations is essential for multi-messenger astronomy, where observations are combined from different sources, such as electromagnetic radiation and gravitational waves, to gain a more complete understanding of energetic astrophysical events. By pinpointing the locations of these events, GOTO helps facilitate a coordinated effort to study them with a variety of instruments, enhancing our knowledge of the universe's most extreme phenomena. The primary science drivers include GRB afterglow detection, gravitational wave counterpart identification, and the study of other fast transients such as supernovae and tidal disruption events.