Scientists in western Argentina were set to inaugurate on Friday, the 14th Nov, 2008 the world's largest astronomical observatory, hoping to unlock the mysteries of high energy cosmic rays that bombard the Earth.
To observe the cosmic ray showers -- high-energy particles present in universe that bombard the Earth -- they use a collection of 1,600 particle detectors placed 1.5 kilometers (one mile) apart, in a grid spread across 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 square miles).
On top of this detection system, scientists will turn the observatory into the most powerful galaxial observation instrument ever built with an additional 24 telescopes, to record emissions of light from the particle shower.
Cosmic particles amount to microscopic protons and atomic nuclei, which whiz across the vast expanse of the universe, approaching the speed of light.
When the particles slam into Earth's upper atmosphere the impact splits them into secondary particles that scientists call an "air shower," which can spread across more than 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) across the planet's surface.
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