The Site of the ASTRI SST-2M Telescope Prototype

TL;DR

This paper describes the site and infrastructure for the ASTRI SST-2M telescope prototype, including environmental conditions and auxiliary instruments, supporting its calibration, verification, and scientific observations of gamma-ray sources.

Contribution

It provides detailed information on the Serra La Nave site setup and instrumentation for the ASTRI SST-2M prototype's scientific and calibration activities.

Findings

Site conditions suitable for gamma-ray observations

Auxiliary instrumentation supports calibration and data analysis

Prototype will perform observations of Crab Nebula and bright TeV sources

Abstract

ASTRI is a Flagship Project financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, and led by the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics, INAF. Primary goal of the ASTRI project is the design and production of an end-to-end prototype of Small Size Telescope for the CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) in a dual-mirror configuration (SST-2M) equipped with a camera at the focal plane composed by an array of Silicon Photo-Multipliers and devoted to the investigation of the highest gamma-ray energy band. The ASTRI SST-2M prototype will be placed at the INAF M.G. Fracastoro observing station in Serra La Nave on the Etna Mountain near Catania, Italy. After the verification tests, devoted to probe the technological solutions adopted, the ASTRI SST-2M prototype will perform scientific observations on the Crab Nebula and on some of the brightest TeV sources. Here we present the Serra La Nave site, its meteorological and weather conditions, the sky darkness and visibility, and the complex of auxiliary instrumentation that will be used on site to support the calibration and science verification phase as well as the regular data reconstruction and analysis of the ASTRI SST-2M prototype.