The BaBar detector at the PEP-II ring at SLAC had a successful start and has recorded by the end of August an integrated luminosity of about 500/pb on the Y (4S) resonance, 55/pb off the resonance. The maximum luminosity achieved during data taking was 0.81 ¥ 1033/cm2 s. The performance of the detector components will be discussed with emphasis on new concepts, in particular the innovative DIRC Cherenkov ring imaging detector. First physics signals will be shown.
