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Abstract

The last decade has marked a renaissance in the field of gamma-ray astronomy. Results from space and ground-based instruments, in particular Fermi and the big three of ground-based gamma-ray astronomy: HESS, VERITAS and MAGIC, have transformed our view of the gamma-ray sky. The current datasets allow the very detailed study of archetypal particle accelerators across a very wide energy range for the first time, and provide sufficient source counts to constrain population/evolution models for a number of different source classes. The recent results challenge many long-held assumptions in high energy astrophysics and there are also hints of new particle physics. The richness of the results from these instruments provides a strong case for future instrumentation and with the HAWC detector recently completed, and the plans for CTA well advanced, the prospects for highest energy photon astronomy over the next decade are extremely good.