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The Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope

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Abstract

The Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) is one of three instruments flying aboard the Swift Gamma-ray Observatory. It is designed to capture the early (∼1 min) UV and optical photons from the afterglow of gamma-ray bursts in the 170–600 nm band as well as long term observations of these afterglows. This is accomplished through the use of UV and optical broadband filters and grisms. The UVOT has a modified Ritchey–Chrétien design with micro-channel plate intensified charged-coupled device detectors that record the arrival time of individual photons and provide sub-arcsecond positioning of sources. We discuss some of the science to be pursued by the UVOT and the overall design of the instrument.

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Author notes

  1. Juan Carlos Soto

    Present address: Ball Aerospace, 1600 Commerce St, Boulder, CO, 80301, U.S.A.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA, 16802, U.S.A.

    Peter W. A. Roming, John A. Nousek, Patrick S. Broos, S D. Hunsberger, T Scott Koch & Mariya Ivanushkina

  2. Mullard Space Sciences Laboratory, University College London, Holmbury St. Mary, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, U.K.

    Thomas E. Kennedy, Keith O. Mason, Mary J. Carter, Barry K. Hancock, Howard E. Huckle, Hajime Kawakami, Philip J. Smith & Alice A. Breeveld

  3. Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd, San Antonio, TX, 78228, U.S.A.

    Lindy Ahr, Ronnie Killough, Michael K. Mclelland & Kelly Smith

  4. Optical Science Laboratory, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, U.K.

    Richard E. Bingham

  5. Starsys Research Corporation, 4909 Nautilus Court N., Boulder, CO, 80301, U.S.A.

    Juan Carlos Soto

  6. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 660.1, Greenbelt, MD, 20771, U.S.A.

    Patricia T. Boyd, Stephen T. Holland & Martin D. Still

  7. Swales Aerospace, 5050 Powder Mill Rd, Beltsville, MD, 20705, U.S.A.

    Michael S. Pryzby & Joseph Stock

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  1. Peter W. A. Roming
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Correspondence to Peter W. A. Roming.

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Roming, P.W.A., Kennedy, T.E., Mason, K.O. et al. The Swift Ultra-Violet/Optical Telescope. Space Sci Rev 120, 95–142 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-005-5095-4

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