MAGIC telescope. MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescope, located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma, Canary Islands. These telescopes are used to detect high-energy gamma rays by detecting the particles produced as the gamma rays impact the Earth's atmosphere. Gamma-ray sources studied include black holes, active galactic nuclei, X-ray binaries, and gamma ray bursts. The main telescope dishes are 17 metres across. The MAGIC telescopes began operating in 2004 and 2009.