Observation of Astrophysical Sources with SST-1M Telescopes -- First Results

TL;DR

This paper reports the first observational results from the SST-1M Cherenkov telescopes, demonstrating their capability to detect gamma-ray sources in the TeV energy range during initial commissioning.

Contribution

It introduces the SST-1M telescope design, its commissioning at Ondrejov Observatory, and presents preliminary gamma-ray detection results from the first observation campaign.

Findings

Multiple gamma-ray sources detected during commissioning

Demonstrated sensitivity in TeV and multi-TeV energy bands

Successful operation of SST-1M prototypes in mono and stereo modes

Abstract

The Single-Mirror Small Size Cherenkov Telescope (SST-1M) was developed by a consortium of institutes in Switzerland, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The SST-1M design is based on the Davies-Cotton concept, featuring a 4-meter mirror and an innovative SiPM-based camera. It is most sensitive to gamma rays in the TeV and multi-TeV energy bands. Since 2022, two SST-1M prototypes have been commissioned at the Ondrejov Observatory in the Czech Republic, where their performance in both mono and stereo observation modes is being tested. During the commissioning phase, several galactic and extragalactic gamma-ray sources have been observed, resulting in multiple detections. In this contribution, we present preliminary results from this observation campaign.