High Energy Gamma Ray Astrophysics

Welcome to the High Energy Gamma Ray Astrophysics research page!

VERITAS, the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System, is a ground based very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray observatory. VERITAS was designed and constructed for the purpose of detecting and studying very high energy gamma rays from galactic and extra galactic sources. The observatory is located at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory south of Tucson, AZ. VERITAS consists of an array of four 12m diameter imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACT). Each telescope has a reflector composed of 350 individual mirrors and a 499 pixel camera. The array can detect gamma rays in the energy range from 50 GeV to 50 TeV.  The VERITAS collaboration has scientists from 21 member institutions from the U.S. and abroad, plus several dozens of non-affiliated or associate member scientists. Construction of the first VERITAS telescope began in 2003, and the full array was completed in January 2007.  In the summer of 2017 the VERITAS collaboration will celebrate a decade of ground breaking scientific discovery.