The initiative, known as the Intelligent Observatory programme, is being delivered through collaboration between the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Hartree Centre and the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO), a leading facility for optical and infrared astronomy.
A partnership between the United Kingdom and South Africa is harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to transform how astronomical observatories operate, enabling telescopes to become smarter and more automated. The initiative, known as the Intelligent Observatory programme, is being delivered through collaboration between the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Hartree Centre and the South African Astronomical Observatory (NRF-SAAO) , a leading facility for optical and infrared astronomy.
The programme integrates AI and advanced digital technologies into observatory operations, allowing telescopes to monitor their own systems, process observation data instantly, and detect sudden astronomical events such as exploding stars in real time. The initiative aims to improve efficiency and data quality while enabling astronomers to focus more on scientific discoveries rather than manual system monitoring.
Running observatories has traditionally required small teams to manually check instruments and analyse observation data, while dealing with unexpected disruptions such as weather changes or equipment faults. As observatories open access to a wider global research community, these manual processes have become increasingly challenging. The Intelligent Observatory programme seeks to automate many of these operations, ensuring smoother workflows while providing visiting astronomers with faster access to research documents, manuals, and maintenance records.
Funded through the UK Research and Innovation International Science Partnership Fund, the project brings together experts in AI, software engineering, and telescope operations to develop a range of new tools. These include a connected system capable of monitoring instruments and detecting potential faults before they cause downtime, as well as automated data-processing tools that convert raw observations into high-quality datasets corrected for atmospheric interference and instrument imperfections. The programme also includes an AI-powered search tool that allows astronomers to quickly locate logs, research papers, and technical information without manually sorting through large volumes of documents.
The Hartree Centre, located at STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory in the Liverpool City Region, is the UK’s leading supercomputing centre working with industry and the public sector. The collaboration with NRF-SAAO was initiated by AI specialists Dr Adriano Agnello and Dr Rob Firth, both former astronomers, who are helping develop software that can monitor telescope performance, detect problems early, and convert observation data into usable insights with minimal human intervention.
As part of the system, AI models analyse nightly observations, flag potential system glitches or weather disruptions, and adjust for atmospheric conditions to ensure telescopes capture the best possible data. The project also includes the development of an AI-powered text search platform using large language models to interpret technical documents and provide astronomers with quick and reliable answers during busy observation sessions.
In the next phase of development, the team plans to expand the system by incorporating documents from the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) and applying more advanced AI techniques to further enhance the platform’s capabilities. Researchers say the programme represents a major step forward in embedding AI directly into observatory operations, making astronomical facilities more intelligent and accessible.
Beyond astronomy, the technologies developed through the Intelligent Observatory programme could also benefit other sectors such as manufacturing, energy, and transportation. Observatories provide ideal environments to test innovations such as smart sensors, predictive maintenance systems, and automated data platforms, demonstrating how AI can improve complex scientific infrastructure while accelerating discovery.
The partnership is also expected to expand opportunities for students and researchers across Africa to gain hands-on experience in AI and data science, helping build the next generation of scientific and technological talent while strengthening South Africa’s position as a global leader in innovative astronomy.
