World’s largest Cherenkov telescope begins operation

The High Energy Stereoscopic System [HESS] II began operation on 26 July this year. The Namibia-based Cherenkov telescope will, in conjunction with the four smaller telescopes which make up the HESS observatory, study high-energy gamma ray sources such as pulsars, supermassive black holes and supernovae.

Weighing in at around 600 tons, with its 28 meter mirror – the size of two adjacent tennis courts – HESS II is now the world’s largest Cherenkov telescope…