Eyes in the sky: World's highest Cherenkov telescope inaugurated in Ladakh

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Asia's largest imaging Cherenkov telescope was inaugurated at Ladakh's Hanle

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Located at an altitude of 4,300 metres, the Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment observatory is the highest of its kind in the world

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The observatory is touted to place India at the forefront of cosmic ray research globally

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It will allow scientists to study high-energy gamma rays, paving the way for a deeper understanding of supernovae, black holes

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Even before its inauguration, the telescope detected gamma ray flares as far away as 200 million light years away

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MACE is 21 metres in diameter, 175 tonnes heavy and has a reflector area of 356 sqm

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It features 1,424 diamond-turned metallic mirror facets, 712 actuators, 1,088 photo-multiplier tubes, and 68 camera modules

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It is a lightweight construction and features high strength and temperature endurance

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Why Hanle? It offers scientific advantages due to the extremely low light pollution required to observe gamma rays

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The longitudinal advantage of Hanle enables MACE to observe sources invisible to other parts of the world

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