H.E.S.S. is a system of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes
for the investigation of cosmic gamma rays in the 100 GeV energy range. The
name H.E.S.S. stands for High Energy Stereoscopic System, and should also
remind us of Victor Hess, who received in 1936 the Nobel Prize in Physics
for his discovery of cosmic radiation. The instrument allows us to explore
gamma-ray sources with intensities at a level of a few thousandth parts of
the flux of the Crab nebula. H.E.S.S. is located in Namibia, near the
Gamsberg, an area well known for its excellent optical quality. The first of
the four telescopes of Phase I of the H.E.S.S. project went into operation in
Summer 2002; all four were operational in December 2003, and were officially
inaugurated on September 28, 2004. In recognition of its scientific results,
H.E.S.S. was awarded the 2006 Descartes Prize for Research of the European
Commission.
The HESSCAT database table was last updated on 14 September 2008.
The file http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/hfm/HESS/public/HESS_catalog.htm.
This Browse table, first created in April 2008, contains the
H.E.S.S. source list created by Dr. W. Hofmann and is based on the html table
at http://www.mpi-hd.mpg.de/hfm/HESS/public/HESS_catalog.htm. The latter table
is updated regularly and this HEASARC table will be updated within one week
of any updates.
Name
The designation of the H.E.S.S. source using the 'HESS' prefix and
a J2000.0 coordinate string, as recommended by the CDS Dictionary of
Nomenclature of Celestial Objects.
RA
The Right Ascension of the gamma-ray source in the selected equinox.
This was given in J2000.0 coordinates to a precision of 1 second of time
in the original table.
Dec
The Declination of the gamma-ray source in the selected equinox.
This was given in J2000.0 coordinates to a precision of 1 arcsecond
in the original table.
LII
The Galactic Longitude of the gamma-ray source.
BII
The Galactic Latitude of the gamma-ray source.
Max_Flux
The maximum flux of the gamma-ray source, in Crab units.
Angular_Radius
The angular radius of the gamma-ray source, in arcminutes.
Alt_Names
The counterpart of the gamma-ray source and/or other source
designations.
Ref_Source
Publication reference(s) for the H.E.S.S. source.
Source_Of_Month
The link to the H.E.S.S. Source of the Month page, if one
exists for the particular source.
Questions regarding the HESSCAT database table can be addressed to the
HEASARC User Hotline.
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Page Author: Browse Software Development Team
Last Modified: Sunday, 14-Sep-2008 16:16:58 EDT