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[TECHNOLOGY] · Spain · 8 sources

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OP 313 blazar signal reveals secrets of the extreme universe

Astronomers have analyzed a gamma-ray signal from the active galaxy OP 313 that has traveled for approximately 8 billion years. The research, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, was co-led by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) and involved the LST Collaboration of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) and the international MAGIC collaboration.

OP 313 is a blazar, a highly energetic type of active galactic nucleus powered by a supermassive black hole. In December 2023, the LST-1 telescope at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in La Palma detected emissions from this source exceeding 100 gigaelectronvolts (GeV), making it the most distant blazar observed in the very-high-energy gamma-ray range.

By combining observations from LST-1, MAGIC telescopes, and other wavelengths, researchers were able to reconstruct the emission characteristics of OP 313 and study the extragalactic background light (EBL), which is a significant challenge in high-energy astrophysics.

Entities

Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory · Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia · La Palma · MAGIC Collaboration · OP 313

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