Page 21 - UNAM Forum Ed1-2021

NAMIBIA, INCREASINGLY

A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR

WORLD LEADING

ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORIES

Michael Backes, from the UNAM Faculty of Science, Physics’ department, the delegation was treated to
a rare opportunity to learn about the latest developments on the H.E.S.S. project. This is in line with the
project’s objective to enhance local involvement.

The visitors were left speechless as they marveled at the 600 ton steel structure, and the 600 square meter
mirror configuration – one of the largest mirror telescopes in the world. Dr Backes, gave a detailed introduction
of the project to UNAM Management. He further outlined the academic advantages and benefits of
UNAM’s involvement in this internationally highly reputed project. Amongst others, UNAM students and staff
are actively involved in developing the science behind these telescopes, while enhancing human capital
development in astronomy and related technologies, such as, ultra-fast electronics and computing in
fields of Machine Learning and Big Data.

For enhancing Big Data and local High-Performance Computing (HPC) capacities, UNAM received large
storage servers from other H.E.S.S. member institutes. These will be integrated in the HPC cluster at UNAM,
which is administered by the Virtual Institute for Scientific Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

“Economically, these projects are an added bonus for the country, as many services are rendered
locally”, remarked Dr Backes. He later further explained that, the expenses of maintaining the H.E.S.S.
project are more than justified by the scientific productivity of this collaboration, currently consisting of
over 40 institutions from over 13 countries. H.E.S.S. customarily publishes groundbreaking findings in highly
prestigious journals, like Nature or Science, biannually. The most recent publications were in June 2020,
titled “Quasar jets are particle accelerators thousands of light-years long” and November 2019, titled “A
very-high-energy component deep in the gamma-ray burst afterglow”.

21 Official Newsletter