Air shower Cherenkov detectors

The field of high-energy astroparticle physics is rapidly expanding. One of the most important experimental methods is based on the detection of Cherenkov light generated in the atmosphere by air showers induced by energetic cosmic particles. All up to now discovered TeV γ-ray sources were detected by air Cherenkov telescopes. An overview of the current detection principles and methods will be given. The article concludes with an outlook for the next generation air Cherenkov detectors.