Asia’s largest imaging Cherenkov telescope, located at an altitude of almost 4,300 metres, was inaugurated on Wednesday at Ladakh’s Hanle.

The Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) observatory, the highest of its kind of telescope in the world, has been indigenously built by the Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with support from the Electronics Corporation of India Ltd (ECIL) and other Indian industry partners.

The MACE observatory is touted to place India at the forefront of cosmic ray research globally by allowing scientists to study high-energy gamma rays. This will pave the way for deeper understanding of the universe’s most energetic events, such as supernovae, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts.

Even before its formal inauguration, the telescope produced high-quality work detecting gamma ray flares as far away as 200 million light years away.

About MACE observatory

MACE is 21 metres in diameter, 175 tonnes heavy, has reflector area of 356 sqm and 1,424 diamond-turned metallic mirror facets, 712 actuators, 1,088 photo-multiplier tubes, and 68 camera modules.

It is a lightweight construction and features high strength and temperature endurance. Reflector surface measuring over 350 square metres (sqm) comprises highly reflective diamond-turned custom-built metallic mirror facets that are required to be aligned with an accuracy of 2 mm over parabolic surface. The camera at the focal point contains a number of photomultiplier tubes mounted with specialised assembly to enhance light collection efficiency.

Ultrafast backend electronics with nanosecond digitization electronics is optimised for low-power and -temperature operations. Extreme weather conditions restrict transport to six-eight months a year and affect the availability of trained personnel on site.

How will the telescope work?

Gamma rays do not reach the Earth’s surface as they are stopped by the atmosphere. However, interaction with the atmosphere creates high-energy particles that travel faster than the speed of flight and emit Cherenkov radiation which is akin to a sonic boom. The mirrors and cameras capture these flashes and trace them back to its cosmic source.

Why Hanle?

The site has been carefully chosen for its unique scientific advantages as Hanle offers extremely low light pollution required for gamma ray observations. The longitudinal advantage of its location enables MACE to observe sources invisible to other parts of the world.

“Hanle is like heaven for gamma ray astronomers with its dark skies, low humidity and almost no air pollution,” said Dr AK Mohanty, chairman, Atomic Energy Commission and India’s nuclear chief. He said another few more gamma ray telescopes could be built here, making Hanle the go-to place for global astronomers, some with international collaboration.

Officials at NASA confirmed today that a 120-foot asteroid, roughly the size of a small aeroplane, will make a close approach to Earth. But do not worry, as despite close proximity, the asteroid 2022 SW3 poses no threat. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory assured there was no cause for concern when it said that the asteroid “is going to come no closer than about 1.6 million miles.”

It will pass within the distance of three times that of Earth to the Moon. Although close, the scientists are swift to say that it does not threaten Earth yet. This close encounter will be an opportunity for scientists to acquire much-needed data about near-earth objects (NEOs).

The scientists track the orbits of the known asteroids, including 2022 SW3, which periodically come close to the Earth orbit. These observations are very important for the purpose of prediction and assessing danger.

Indeed, asteroids were part of the material leftovers of the old solar system, born about 4.6 billion years ago. They don’t have atmospheres and are not shaped as planets. High technology and observation can trace their paths to the smallest detail.

A few had major implications for Earth, including the one at Chicxulub that caused the demise of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Examples include NASA’s OSIRIS-REx and Japan’s Hayabusa2. Samples obtained from missions like these have been instrumental in giving answers about the origin of our solar system and how life-preserving compounds could have landed on Earth. Every asteroid that passes adds to our chances of getting ready for other potential threats.

Today’s close flyby also becomes an eye-opener to the fact that one cannot just understand asteroids or close observations of them once and for all. Though this event is not hazardous, it will be a good time to collect data in preparation for upcoming encounters by scientists.

The space agency NASA has created a defence system to ward off the fear of these near-earth objects. According to NASA, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the world’s first planetary defence technology demonstration, successfully impacted its asteroid target in the past in an attempt to move an asteroid in space.