Scientists have detected gamma rays from the Crab Nebula, the most famous of supernova remnants, using a next-generation telescope that opens the door for astrophysicists to study some of the most energetic and unusual objects in the universe.
Scientists have detected gamma rays from the Crab Nebula, the most famous of supernova remnants, using a next-generation telescope that opens the door for astrophysicists to study some of the most energetic and unusual objects in the universe.
The prototype Schwarzschild-Couder Telescope (SCT)—developed by scientists at the Columbia University in collaboration with researchers from other institutions—is part of an international effort, known as the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), which aims to construct the world’s largest and most powerful gamma-ray observatory, with more than 100 similar telescopes in the northern and southern hemispheres.
“That we were able to successfully detect the Crab Nebula demonstrates the viability of the novel Schwarzschild-Couder design,” said Brian Humensky, associate professor of physics at Columbia, who worked with a team to design and build the telescope. “It's been a long journey, so it's enormously satisfying to see the telescope performing, and we're excited to see what we can do with it.”
Read more at Columbia University
Photo: The Schwarzschild-Couder telescope, located at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Amado, Arizona, detected gamma-ray showers from the Crab Nebula in early 2020, proving the viability of the technology design for gamma-ray astrophysics. CREDIT: Amy C. Oliver, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
