Gamma ray telescope. Cerenkov telescope at the High-Energy-Gamma-Ray Astronomy (HEGRA) site at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma, Can

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Gamma ray telescope. Cerenkov telescope at the High-Energy-Gamma-Ray Astronomy (HEGRA) site at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma, Canary Islands. Cerenkov radiation is the blue light given off by electrons when a high-energy gamma ray from space strikes the atmosphere with up to 10 thousand billion electron volts of energy. This instrument was one of the world's most sensitive Cerenkov detectors, using the array of mirrors to focus the incoming light flashes onto a detector. It ceased operating in September 2002.

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Photo credit: © DETLEV VAN RAVENSWAAY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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