ASTRI (Astrofisica con Specchi a Tecnologia Replicante Italiana) is a flagship project of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research related to the next generation IACT (Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope), within the framework of the CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) International Observatory.
In this context, INAF (Italian National Institute of Astrophysics) is currently developing a scientific and technological breakthrough to allow the study of the uppermost end of the VHE domain (a few TeV - hundreds of TeV).
The ASTRI project timeframe is of about 3 years, and foresees the full development, installation and calibration of a Small Size class Telescope prototype compliant with the requirements of the High Energy array of CTA.
The ASTRI prototype will adopt an aplanatic, wide field, double reflection optical layout in a Schwarzschild-Couder configuration.
Moreover, the focal plane instrument will explore small pixelated detector sensors such as multi-anode PMTs or Silicon PM.
Among the number of technological challenges, this telescope will be the very first instrument implementing both the Schwarzschild-Couder optical configuration and the double reflection for air Cherenkov imaging.

For other information about INAF Institutes involved in the ASTRI Project click on Team in the menu above.

News

February 21, 2012

The first formal review (PDR) on the telescope structure and mechanics under development has been successfully completed. An important step forward to the ASTRI telescope with a first light around October 2013.