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March 29
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By Anahit Sargsyan

YEREVAN.- The largest ever built Cherenkov telescope has 875 hexagonal mirror facets each of them having a stamp with “Armenia” inscription on it.

The largest H.E.S.S. II telescope with an area of 600 square meters started operation in Namibia in September 2012. Together with other four 12-meter telescopes already in operation since 2004, the observatory will continue studying cosmic sources. The High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) observatory is operated by the collaboration of scientists from 12 different countries, including Yerevan Physics Institute.

General view of H.E.S.S.II telescope

Official inauguration of the first H.E.S.S. II telescope was held on September 28, 2012. The mirror facets for a telescope as tall as 20-storey building were produced by Galaktika CJSC (Garni) which is a part of physics and astrophysics department at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia.

The company has been cooperating with Germany-based Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics since 2002, Galaktika CJSC Director Ara Mirzoyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am. Armenia won the tender and was selected as a producer of mirrors for the world’s largest H.E.S.S II telescope.

Opening ceremony in the reflection

Since Cherenkov telescopes are installed without a dome, the requirements for mirrors are very strict. The product was to be adopted by Germany and metrology should be carried out in Germany as well. Therefore, Galaktika has developed a device to measure the mirror reflectance which has no analogue in the post-Soviet area.

General view of Cherenkov observatory in Namibia

It was rather difficult to find skilled manual workers but they worked hard to deliver the orders in time. They managed to meet the requirements and deliver 900 mirrors within specified schedule.

“During the opening ceremony in Namibia it was noted German side is proud of the team working for the project. It is a great honor and we are really proud,” Mirzoyan said.

Mirror reflectance measuring device designed by Galaktika CJSC

The scientists faced certain difficulties in the course of their work but the most important is to achieve result.
“We were honored to hear high praise by Werner Hofmann, the Director of Max Planck Institute,” Mirzoyan added.
The first images from H.E.S.S.II were received on July 26 before the official opening. At the moment the data is being studied and the project is declared successful.

Mirror polishing

Ara Mirzoyan said each member state paid about 1 million euro for participation in H.E.S.S. collaboration.

“Under the decision of the Armenian government, Yerevan Physics Institute produced 200 additional mirrors for Germany as a contribution to the project. In addition to the Institute, the National Academy of Sciences is also a full member of H.E.S.S. collaboration,” the scientist explained.

Each mirror has a serial number and ‘Armenia’ stamp

Mirzoyan and his team plans to continue their efforts and participate in the next tender invited for a larger project called The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) which is estimated at 200 million euro. The goal of the project is to build two observatories with 100 small telescopes.

Each mirror was packed in a separate container for safe transportation

“While producing mirrors for H.E.S.S. project, we increased our production capacity. We hope to win the next tender as well. We produced 900 mirrors in nearly two years. To date, nobody in the world has such a production rate,” he added.

Mirzoyan expressed great appreciation to the team members, the people whose work gives an opportunity to see “Armenia” inscription on 875 mirrors.

You can see ‘Armenia’ inscription 875 times on H.E.S.S.II

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