| Alternative names | MACET |
|---|---|
| Part of | Indian Astronomical Observatory  |
| Location(s) | Hanle, Ladakh, India |
| Coordinates | 32°46′48″N 78°58′35″E / 32.7801°N 78.9763°E |
| Altitude | 4,270 m (14,010 ft) |
| Built | –2020 |
| Telescope style | IACT |
| Collecting area | 356 m2 (3,830 sq ft) |
| Focal length | 21 m (68 ft 11 in) |
| Website | www |
  Location of Major Atmospheric Cerenkov Experiment Telescope | |
Major Atmospheric Cerenkov Experiment Telescope (MACE) is an imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescope (IACT) located near Hanle, Ladakh, India. It is the highest (in altitude) and second largest Cerenkov telescope in the world. It was built by Electronics Corporation of India, Hyderabad, for the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and was assembled at the campus of Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle. It was originally scheduled to become operational by 2016,[1] but plans were pushed back to begin operations in 2020.[2][3] It will be remotely operated and will run on solar power.
The telescope is the second-largest gamma ray telescope in the world and will help the scientific community enhance its understanding in the fields of astrophysics, fundamental physics, and particle acceleration mechanisms. The largest telescope of the same class is the 28-metre-diameter High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) telescope being operated in Namibia.
- ^ Mallikarjun, Y. (28 June 2014). "Gamma ray telescope to be flagged off to Ladakh" – via www.thehindu.com.
- ^ Karnad, Raghu. "The Clear Night Sky Over India and China's Hostile Border". The New Yorker.
- ^ Basu, Mohana (23 January 2020). "World's highest and India's largest gamma-ray telescope to go live in Ladakh this year".