BARC's gamma ray telescope to be ready by 2017

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The world's biggest telescope in the northern hemisphere, under construction at Ladakh, would be ready by 2017 and be remotely operated from Mumbai, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre's (BARC) director Sekhar Basu said here today.
"In 2016 end or 2017 the Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (MACE) telescope would be ready. It will be operated from Mumbai because in that minus 40 degree temperatures in Ladakh you cannot have many people all throughout the year. From Mumbai it will be operated at all times," Basu told reporters here.
He said the gamma ray telescope, the biggest in the northern hemisphere having a diameter of 45 metres, is going to detect Cherenkov radiation coming from cosmic particles.

"Events that had happened 14 billion years ago, when the universe was born, will be measured and monitored here," the nuclear scientist said adding that many discoveries will take place because of this telescope.
Ladakh's Hanle village where the telescope is coming up is located at about 4500 meters above mean sea level.
BARC has entrusted the Electronics Corporation of India, Hyderabad, to built the telescope.