Small Binocular Telescope: The new epoch of Burst Alert Robotic Telescope

Abstract

Abstract Burst Alert Robotic Telescope (BART) is an autonomous robotic observatory located at the Ondřejov observatory in the Czech Republic. It was constructed in 1996 in order to follow up satellite triggers in hope to provide early observations of Gamma‐Ray Burst optical afterglows. We present the new telescope of the observatory “Small Binocular Telescope” (SBT), which has recently obtained its first light and is being prepared for routine observations. The updated system now counts with a dual 0.2‐m wide‐field optical telescope capable of continuous coverage of an error box of size up to 3.56 × 3.56 degrees.