Catching Gamma-Ray Bursts
                  from Palomar

If a gamma-ray burst occurs when it is dark and clear at Palomar the 60-inch telescope immediately slews to the coordinates provided and photographs the fading optical glow from the explosion. The 60-inch is a robotic telescope making human intervention unnecessary. Astronomers and members of the Palomar day crew carefully outfit and prepare the telescope in advance for each evening's observations.

The rapid response by the Palomar 60-inch telescope and others has pushed back the unknown allowing astronomers to classify the bursts and theorize as to their origins.