• Science

Experimental site opens up the Universe

- 2022-10-19 13:17:00

Although H.E.S.S was a ten year experiment, the stereoscopic system celebrated 20 years in existence in September and has since its inauguration opened a new window to the Universe. For the first time, true images of cosmic sources were obtained in the light of gamma rays with the highest energies that had ever been recorded from astronomical objects. According to Professor Werner Hofmann, the founding director of H.E.S.S, the telescope structure and its drive system were designed by engineers in Germany and South Africa, and produced in Namibia and Germany. “The successful commissioning of the telescope represented a big step forward for the scientists of H.E.S.S., for the astronomical community as a whole, and for Southern Africa as a prime location for this field of astronomy,” he said. According to Jeroboam Shaanika, Deputy Executive Director at Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Multilateral Affairs, it is with a sense of satisfaction and immense pride that we can reflect and be host to, through the University of Namibia, an integral part of this beacon of excellency. He was speaking on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. “The last decade has seen an increase in the involvement of the University of Namibia through scientists and local students in the H.E.S.S project. We applaud UNAM for these significant steps in embracing the opportunity.” To date, the H.E.S.S. collaboration has published over 250 articles in high-impact scientific journals; the collaboration and its members have been awarded many prestigious prizes and independent surveys ranked H.E.S.S. among the most influential observatories worldwide. The H.E.S.S. observatory is operated by a collaboration of more than 240 scientists from 36 scientific institutions in 12 different countries. Namibia has been established as one of the prime locations world-wide to host astronomical research infrastructure. Although H.E.S.S was a ten year experiment, the stereoscopic system celebrated 20 years in existence in September and has since its inauguration opened a new window to the Universe. For the first time, true images of cosmic sources were obtained in the light of gamma rays with the highest energies that had ever been recorded from astronomical objects. According to Professor Werner Hofmann, the founding director of H.E.S.S, the telescope structure and its drive system were designed by engineers in Germany and South Africa, and produced in Namibia and Germany. “The successful commissioning of the telescope represented a big step forward for the scientists of H.E.S.S., for the astronomical community as a whole, and for Southern Africa as a prime location for this field of astronomy,” he said. According to Jeroboam Shaanika, Deputy Executive Director at Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Multilateral Affairs, it is with a sense of satisfaction and immense pride that we can reflect and be host to, through the University of Namibia, an integral part of this beacon of excellency. He was speaking on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. “The last decade has seen an increase in the involvement of the University of Namibia through scientists and local students in the H.E.S.S project. We applaud UNAM for these significant steps in embracing the opportunity.” To date, the H.E.S.S. collaboration has published over 250 articles in high-impact scientific journals; the collaboration and its members have been awarded many prestigious prizes and independent surveys ranked H.E.S.S. among the most influential observatories worldwide. The H.E.S.S. observatory is operated by a collaboration of more than 240 scientists from 36 scientific institutions in 12 different countries. Namibia has been established as one of the prime locations world-wide to host astronomical research infrastructure.
On Sunday 23 October, there is an Open Day at the H.E.S.S site and everyone is invited. It will be a day filled with Science, fun and big telescopes.