Spare mirror segment from the H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System ) Telescope, 2000-2003 (see note)
This is a spare mirror segment for one of the four telescopes of HESS, the High Energy Stereoscopic System in Namibia. It is used to observe gamma rays given off in violent cosmic events, such as a star exploding. When these rays are absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere they produce flashes of blue light. The telescope’s mirror, made up of 382 segments like this one, focuses this light onto a huge camera to be recorded
Details
- Category:
- Astronomy
- Object Number:
- 2009-44
- Measurements:
-
overall: 17 mm, 600 mm, 12.21 kg
- credit:
- University of Durham, Department of Physics