The Zadko Telescope, currently under construction, is a robotic optical telescope providing a unique opportunity for high school students to get involved in the world of astronomy research.

Jim Zadko, of Claire Energy, has donated major funds to the University of Western Australia for the purchase of the Zadko Telescope; a robotically controlled 1-metre, located near Gingin, about 70 km north of Perth.

The telescope has a field of view of 1.4 o. The control system is capable of remote access for rapid response to high priority transient targets (eg Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) and supernovae).

The primary science goal for the Zadko Telescope collaboration is to understand the link between GRBs and massive stellar collapse. We will search for and study the afterglow from the interaction of the GRB explosion with the interstellar medium by rapid follow-up observations of GRBs observed initially by the Swift satellite - a multi-wavelength GRB observatory, and later by the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST).

With potentially hundreds of GRBs localized by Swift each year, up to several tens of optical afterglows could be observed each year by the Zadko Telescope at a very different longitude from that of any other metre class telescope.

Perth has been chosen as to host the Zadko Telescope, due to its unique viewing position on the globe. With a primary goal of probing the inner engine of the GRB, by observing the early emissions and afterglows, links with partner astronomers at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, France, and Mount Stromlo Observatory will prove invaluable.

The telescope will be used in two modes, which will operate concurrently:

a) Transient monitoring mode: Where it will search for transient sources of all types. Particular attention will be paid to those areas in the sky not already monitored by other sites.

b) Targeted search mode: After satellite confirmation of GRB events, the robotic system will ensure a rapid response to initial and follow up observations.

One of the main differences between the Zadko Telescope program and other programs is the inclusion of high school students in almost every aspect of the research program.

High school students will participate in the entire research program, especially the search for a broad range of astrophysical transient events. A Research-In-Education robotic astronomy research program will be developed and linked with the GRB research project. The Research-In-Education program will be broadened to include the full range of transient events, including supernovae, Near Earth Objects and data processing.

In addition to the Zadko Telescope, the Australia-France collaboration provides the project with access to robotic telescopes in France, Australia and Chile, and access to GRB satellite data from the NASA satellites Swift (launched 2004 November 20) and GLAST (The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope due to be launched in 2006).