VERITAS (Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) is a major ground-based gamma-ray observatory located at the basecamp of the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in southern Arizona. VERITAS comprises an array of four 12m optical reflectors for gamma-ray astronomy in the very high energy (VHE: 50 GeV - 50 TeV) range.
Use the menu on the right to find out more about the techniques of Cherenkov imaging, specifications of the array, who we are, the history of the project, and the agencies that fund this research.
VERITAS Snapshot:
- Array of four atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes
- Telescope design is based on Whipple 10m Telescope and Blazar Lightcurves
- 350 individual mirrors on each telescope reflector
- Each telescope aperture: 12m
- 499 pixel camera on each telescope
- Field of view of 3.5 degrees
- Energy range of 85 GeV to 30 TeV
VERITAS Science Topics:
- black holes at the centres of active galaxies
- pulsars
- X-ray binaries
- gamma-ray bursts
- supernova remnants
- globular clusters
- galaxies including our own Milky Way Galaxy.
- Galaxy clusters
- Dark Matter
- Astroparticle physics
- Unidentified sources
Important Dates:
- April 2003: Installation of VERITAS prototype telescope at the FLWO Basecamp
- February 2004: First light of VERITAS prototype
- January 2007: Completion of 4 telescope array
- April 27-28 2007: First Light Celebration
- Summer 2009: Displacement of Telescope 1 to new location for improved sensitivity
- Summer 2012: Upgrade of camera PMTs to high-quantum-efficiency PMTs
Funding Agencies:
USA
- National Science Foundation
- Smithsonian Institution
- Department of Energy
Canada
- NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council)
Germany
- DESY-Zeuthen
External Science Advisory Committee:
- Matthew Baring (Rice, Chair)
- Laura Cadonati (Georgia Tech)
- Albrecht Karle (Wisconsin)
- Chryssa Kouveliotou (George Washington University)
- Greg Madejski (SLAC)
- Roger Romani (Stanford)
- Gus Sinnis (LANL)
- Gerard Van Belle (Lowell)
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