In a world where artificial intelligence and autonomous cars seem to be an everyday occurrence, it can be easy to underestimate the complexity of the technological advances that have led to the creation of the first global robotic astronomical network. This network of robotic telescopes, known as BOOTES, was created by Spanish astrophysicist Alberto J. Castro-Tirado in 1998, with the inauguration of the first robotic astronomical station at El Arenosillo (Mazagón, Huelva), thanks to funding from the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA) and support from the University of Huelva.
The El Arenosillo station was followed by a second one in 2006, this time at the La Mayora Experimental Station (a joint center of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientÃficas and the University of Málaga) in Algarrobo-Costa (Málaga), with a larger and more powerful telescope. This second station was created while Castro-Tirado was working as a scientist at the Instituto de AstrofÃsica de AndalucÃa (IAA) of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones CientÃficas (CSIC).
Castro-Tirado’s dream was extended to five continents, and thus began the expansion of the BOOTES network. The first expansion was in New Zealand in 2009, followed by China in 2012, Mexico in 2015, and South Africa in May 2022. Finally, in December 2022, the expansion was completed with the opening of a station in Chile. All stations in the BOOTES network are clones of the Malaga telescope and operate as a coordinated and automated global network.
The operation of the network is simple but sophisticated: a satellite picks up a gamma-ray signal and, in a matter of seconds, sends the information to all the stations in the network. The BOOTES network then automatically selects the telescopes that, by location, can observe the phenomenon. In less than a minute, the optimal station for capturing what is happening is taking images and collecting data.
The BOOTES network is able to detect powerful astronomical events, such as when a massive star collapses and creates a new black hole. During this process, matter is ejected in the form of a jet, producing multiple collisions that can be captured by the BOOTES telescopes. This event is one of the most powerful in the universe and is something like the first cry of a newborn black hole.
With his work, Castro-Tirado has taken Spanish science to the top and consolidated Spain as a leader in the field of astrophysics. The BOOTES network is a significant achievement in the investigation of the universe, and its automatic operation and global presence make it unique in its class. Castro-Tirado’s legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire future generations of astronomers and scientists around the world.