Abstract

Very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray astronomy uses the highest energy electromagnetic radiation to probe the non-thermal universe. The field has undergone a transformation over the last 5 years or so, much of which has been driven by observations made with the H.E.S.S. telescopes. Operating in Namibia since 2004, they have been largely responsible for a 10-fold increase in the number of astronomical objects known to emit at VHE. This talk will cover some of the results from the H.E.S.S. telescopes, touching on several different areas of astroparticle physics including the search for dark matter and quantum gravity effects. I will also take a look at the prospects for the next-generation instrument, the Cherenkov Telescope Array.