The burst observer and optical transient exploring system (BOOTES)

Abstract

The Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System (BOOTES) is currently being developed in Spain, in collaboration with the Astronomical Institute at Ondrejov, Czech Republic. It will make use of two sets of wide-field cameras 80 kms apart, and a robotic 25-cm telescope. All the instruments will be placed in Southern Spain. It is expected that BOOTES will provide rapid follow-up observations of GRBs detected with BATSE and HETE, as well as clarify whether optical transients are indeed of cosmic origin.