Gamma-ray astronomy

The study of celestial γ rays represents the opening of one of the last observational windows in high-energy astrophysics. Gamma rays provide a unique method for observing the energetic processes which exist within many of the most unusual celestial objects. To date, γ-ray emission has been observed from pulsars, nebulae, molecular clouds, x-ray binaries, the galactic plane and several active galaxies. Modelling of the emission from these sources provides a further understanding of the physical processes within the source. Future γ-ray experiments are being prepared which will not only extend the number of detected sources, but will probe these sources more deeply by the application of new detection techniques giving excellent spectral and angular resolutions. (author)