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STACEE, the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment, is a gamma ray detector located near Alberquerque, New Mexico. Observations with STACEE began in October 2001. Gamma rays have been observed from objects such as the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant, and Markarian 421, a blazar. The detector is operated in consortium with several universities, including McGill University, Case Western Reserve University, UCLA, UCSC, Columbia University, and University of Alberta.
STACEE itself consists of several solar mirrors known as heliostats, which are located at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility. In the daytime, the heliostats are used for solar energy research. During the night, however, the heliostats detect flashes of Cherenkov light, caused by gamma rays hitting the upper atmosphere. These brief flashes are then reflected to a solar tower near the mirrors, where they can be recorded.
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