The major atmospheric gamma-ray imaging Cherenkov telescope

MAGIC is a system of two 17 m diameter Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACTs) for ground-based γ -ray astronomy. During many years, starting with the design phase of the first telescope in 2003, the upgrade of the second telescope in 2008 up to now, novel technologies have been developed, commissioned and continuously improved. Most components and subsystems represent nowadays state of the art techniques and are under consideration to be used in future detectors. The large reflector area, together with small diameter, high quantum efficiency (QE) photomultipliers (PMTs) in combination with an improved trigger and readout system permits an analysis threshold of 25 GeV, the lowest among current IACTs. MAGIC overlaps in energy with the upper end of current satellite experiments and gives the unique opportunity, for the first time, to cross-calibrate ground based versus satellite born detectors. Some selected techniques used in MAGIC, which are in context with this conference, are presented.