BOOTES-IR : The extension of the BOOTES project to near-IR

Abstract

BOOTES-IR is the extension of BOOTES (Burst Observer and Optical Transient Exploring System) to the near-infrared (NIR). The system includes a complete robotic observatory control system (RTS2), and real time reduction and analysis tools (JIBARO) that will allow us to automatically identify GRB afterglow candidates. The BOOTES-IR. telescope is a fast-slewing 0.6 m Ritchey-Chretien, currently operational with an optical camera. The NIR camera, with 1K x 1K pixels and a field of view of 12' x 12', will see first light before the end of 2006, and the telescope will then observe in optical and NIR wavelengths simultaneously via a dichroic.