VERITAS is a major ground-based gamma-ray observatory with an array of four 12 meter optical reflectors for gamma-ray astronomy in the GeV – TeV photon energy range.
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14 Facts About VERITAS
2.
VERITAS uses the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope technique to observe gamma rays that cause particle showers in Earth's atmosphere that are known as extensive air showers.
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3.
The VERITAS array is located at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory, in southern Arizona, United States.
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4.
VERITAS was designed to explore the very high energy gamma-ray sky above 100 GeV, following up on the success of the Whipple 10 m gamma-ray telescope.
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5.
VERITAS combines the benefits of stereoscopic observations in an array with large reflectors for a low energy threshold.
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6.
VERITAS is currently the only IACT array operating in the western hemisphere.
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7.
In 1998, the first VERITAS collaboration meeting was held at the University of Chicago.
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8.
The proposal for a four telescope array was favorably reviewed in 2002 and construction of VERITAS started in 2003 at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory.
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9.
The construction of VERITAS was largely funded in the U S by Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and the Smithsonian Institution.
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10.
VERITAS has a broad science program that combines key aspects of astronomy, exploring the universe in the new waveband of VHE gamma rays, and physics, searching for new particles of phenomena beyond the standard model of particle physics.
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An important component of VERITAS observations is that associated with multi-wavelength and multi-messenger follow up, including fast radio burst, high energy neutrino, and gravitational wave events.
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12.
VERITAS has an extensive dark matter program, in which indirect searches are conducted to find VHE gamma rays resulting from the annihilation of dark matter particles.
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13.
VERITAS researchers have pioneered the use of an IACT to carry out Citizen Science.
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14.
VERITAS collaboration was officially formed by the signing of a teaming agreement in 2000 between nine member institutions in three countries.
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