J. Soldán · Researcher · Max Robotics

About

J. Soldán is a pioneering figure in the development of robotic telescopes for time-domain astrophysics, with a primary focus on the rapid optical follow-up of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). His most significant contribution is the conception and construction of the Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System (BOOTES), a groundbreaking network of wide-field cameras and robotic telescopes established in Spain in collaboration with Czech institutions. This system, first detailed in a 1999 paper with 66 citations, was designed as a ground-support facility for ESA’s INTEGRAL satellite, enabling near-real-time optical observations of transient cosmic events. Soldán also led the development of the Burst Alert Robotic Telescope (BART) at the Ondřejov Observatory, a system capable of responding to satellite-triggered GRB alerts in under a minute. His work has been instrumental in bridging satellite and ground-based astronomy, achieving rapid multi-wavelength coverage of high-energy phenomena. Beyond GRBs, Soldán explored the use of small robotic telescopes for optical SETI (OSETI), demonstrating the versatility of his designs. His legacy endures in the BOOTES network, which remains a key asset for transient astronomy.