The Status of Very High Energy Astronomy

Abstract

This paper summarizes the status of very high-energy (VHE) astronomy, as of early 2003. It concentrates on observations made by gamma-ray telescopes operating at energies above 10 GeV. This field is an exciting one to be working in, with a growing and varied list of established sources that includes plerions, supernova remnants, and active galactic nuclei. New results include the discovery of the first unidentified source at these energies and the detection of gamma rays from a nearby starburst galaxy (NGC 253). The arrival of a new generation of telescopes, both on the ground and in space, argues that we can anticipate a wealth of exciting results in the near future.