The new window on the universe is set up at 2225 metres above sea level, on Roque de los Muchachos, the highest mountain on the island, La Palma. On 10th October the MAGIC-Cherenkov telescope was officially inaugurated (2). Adrian Biland and Sebastian Commichau from the ETH Institute of Particle Physics have taken over the first observation shift on the mountain, which will last for three weeks. After this period colleagues from other European countries will relieve them. Observation and physics measurements take place at night, in total darkness.

The mirror of the telescope has a diameter of 17 metres. Particles with energy of between 20 and 300 GeV can be observed. large

The MAGIC telescope (MAGIC stands for "Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov") will investigate very high energy rays from distant galaxies, quasars and the remains of supernovae in an endeavour to find answers to some very old astrophysical questions. For this purpose MAGIC registers the flashes of atmospheric air showers, which evolve in the upper level of Earth's atmosphere when it is penetrated by cosmic gamma quanta. The mirror surface of the telescope, which has a diameter of 17 metres, reflects the rays on to an electronic camera fixed at the focal point of the telescope. From there signals are transferred into the control room. MAGIC is the most sensitive instrument of its kind anywhere in the world. It makes observations possible between 20 and 300 GeV, an energy spectrum that, until now, has not been entirely accessible.

Sunset on the Canary island, La Palma. In a few hours researchers at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, 2225 metres above sea level, will begin measuring. large

For the physicist Felicitas Pauss from the ETH Institute of Particle Physics MAGIC provides an excellent complement to her work at CERN(3). "Using data provided by MAGIC we have the opportunity to verify certain observations that have been made at CERN in Geneva with the particle accelerator." Felicitas Pauss hopes that those parts of dark matter can be found with MAGIC, that physicists are convinced exist but that so far nobody has been able to identify.

The MAGIC project is operated by an international coalition consisting of roughly 100 scientists from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Finland, Poland, Armenia, Russia, South Africa and the USA. The lead of the project is in the hands of European institutions. Investment in the project totals 4,5 million Euros, more than half of which comes from the Max-Planck Society and the (German) Federal Research Ministry. Pauss and her team are the only Swiss scientists involved in the MAGIC project.

Adrian Biland and Felicitas Pauss from the ETH Institute for Particle Physics. Both scientists are looking for dark matter on La Palma. large