Zadko Observatory
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox observatory
|name = Zadko Observatory
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|image = Zadko_telescope_australia_night.jpg
|image_size = 180
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|coords = {{Coord|31|21|31.4|S|115|42|47.2|E|type:landmark}}
|weather =
|established =
|closed =
|telescope1_name = Zadko Telescope
|telescope1_type = 1.0 m reflector
|telescope2_name = C14
|telescope2_type = reflector
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Zadko Observatory is an astronomical observatory (obs. code: D20) located within the Wallingup Plain in the Gingin shire, Western Australia. It is owned and operated by the University of Western Australia.
History
The Zadko Observatory was created in 2008 to host the Zadko Telescope,{{Cite web|url = https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/western-australias-zadko-telescope-opens/3148690|title = Western Australia's Zadko telescope opens|date = April 2009|access-date = 11 August 2019}} a 1.0m instrument donated to the University of Western Australia by James Zadko,{{Cite web|url=https://campaign.uwa.edu.au/impact/thank-you/benefactor-wall|title=The Benefactor Wall – Giving|website=campaign.uwa.edu.au}} CEO of Claire Energy.{{Cite journal|title = The Zadko Telescope: Exploring the transient Universe|journal = Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia|volume = 34|date = January 2017|publisher = Publication of the Astronomical Society of Australia|last = Coward|first = D.|display-authors=etal|arxiv = 1609.06445|doi = 10.1017/pasa.2016.61|bibcode = 2017PASA...34....5C|s2cid = 85440948}} It was then expanded to fit several other instruments in 2011. The Observatory is located close to the Australian Interferometer Gravitational Observatory. The original construction cost AUD 1 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/states-largest-telescope-installed-20080711-3deo.html|title=State's largest telescope installed|date=10 July 2008|website=WAtoday}}
Observations are performed robotically every night, and have led to various important results, such as the observation of the first detected counterpart of a gravitational wave source, GW170817.{{Cite journal |title = Follow Up of GW170817 and Its Electromagnetic Counterpart by Australian-Led Observing Programmes |journal = Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia|volume = 34|date = December 2017 |publisher = Publication of the Astronomical Society of Australia |last = Andreoni|first = I. |display-authors=etal|arxiv = 1710.05846|doi = 10.1017/pasa.2017.65|bibcode = 2017PASA...34...69A|s2cid = 54027251}}{{Cite journal |title = Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger |journal = The Astrophysical Journal |volume = 848 |issue = 2 |pages = L12 |date = October 2017 |publisher = The American Astronomical Society|last = Abbott|first = B.P.|display-authors=etal|doi = 10.3847/2041-8213/aa91c9 |arxiv = 1710.05833 |bibcode = 2017ApJ...848L..12A |doi-access = free }}
Instruments
The observatory operates one robotic 1.0-metre Cassegrain telescope for scientific studies. In addition, the observatory hosts several instruments operated by private companies.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.zadko-observatory.org/ Zadko Observatory official website]
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