First Light: Largest Gamma-Ray Telescope

Largest ever Cerenkov telescope sees first light

This telescope is dedicated to observing the most violent and extreme phenomena of the universe in high-energy gamma rays.

By Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Germany — Published: July 27, 2012

View of the full H.E.S.S. array with the four 12-meter telescopes and the new 28-meter H.E.S.S. II telescope Credit: H.E.S.S. Collaboration, Clementina Medina

On July 26, 2012, the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) II telescope started operation in Namibia. Dedicated to observing the most violent and extreme phenomena of the universe in high-energy gamma rays, H.E.S.S. II is the largest Cerenkov telescope ever built — the new portion has a 92-foot-diameter (28 meters) mirror. Together with the four smaller (12 meter) telescopes already in operation since 2004, the H.E.S.S. observatory will continue to define the forefront of ground-based gamma-ray astronomy and will allow deeper understanding of known high-energy cosmic sources such as supermassive black holes, pulsars and supernovae, and the search for new classes of high-energy objects.

MORE: http://www.astronomy.com/en/News-Observing/News/2012/07/Largest%20ever%20Cerenkov%20telescope%20sees%20first%20light.aspx

Sources: Max Planck Institute, Heidelberg, Germany, Astronomy Magazine

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >