Detection of very-high energy gamma-ray emission from NGC 1275 by the MAGIC telescopes

Aleksic, J.; Alvarez, E. A.; Antonelli, L. A.; Antoranz, P.; Asensio, M.; Backes, M.; Barres, de Almeida U.; Barrio, J. A.; Bastieri, D.; Becerra Gonzalez, J.; Bednarek, W.; Berger, K.; Bernardini, E.; Biland, A.; Blanch, O.; Bock, R. K.; Boller, A.; Bonnoli, G.; Borla, Tridon D.; Bretz, T.; Canellas, A.; Carmona, E.; Carosi, A.; Colin, P.; Colombo, E.; Contreras, J. L.; Cortina, J.; Cossio, L.; Covino, S.; Da Vela, P.; Dazzi, F.; De Angelis, A.; De Caneva, G.; De Cea, del Pozo E.; De Lotto, B.; Delgado Mendez, C.; Diago Ortega, A.; Doert, M.; Dominguez, A.; Dominis, Prester D.; Dorner, D.; Doro, M.; Eisenacher, D.; Elsaesser, D.; Ferenc, D.; Fonseca, M. V.; Font, L.; Fruck, C.; Garcia Lopez, R. J.; Garczarczyk, M.; Garrido, D.; Giavitto, G.; Godinovic, N.; Gozzini, S. R.; Hadasch, D.; Haefner, D.; Herrero, A.; Hildebrand, D.; Hoehne Moench, D.; Hose, J.; Hrupec, D.; Huber, B.; Jogler, T.; Kadenius, V.; Kellermann, H.; Klepser, S.; Kraehenbuehl, T.; Krause, J.; La Barbera, A.; Lelas, D.; Leonardo, E.; Lewandowska, N.; Lindfors, E.; Lombardi, S.; Lopez, M.; Lopez Coto, R.; Lopez Oramas, A.; Lorenz, E.; Makariev, M.; Maneva, G.; Mankuzhiyil, N.; Mannheim, K.; Maraschi, L.; Mariotti, M.; Martinez, M.; Mazin, D.; Meucci, M.; Miranda, J. M.; Mirzoyan, R.; Moldon, J.; Moralejo, A.; Munar Adrover, P.; Niedzwiecki, A.; Nieto, D.; Nilsson, K.; Nowak, N.; Orito, R.; Paiano, S.; Paneque, D.; Paoletti, R.; Pardo, S.; Paredes, J. M.; Partini, S.; Perez Torres, M. A.; Persic, M.; Peruzzo, L.; Pilia, M.; Pochon, J.; Prada, F.; PRADA MORONI, PIER GIORGIO; Prandini, E.; Puerto Gimenez, I.; Puljak, I.; Reichardt, I.; Reinthal, R.; Rhode, W.; Ribo, M.; Rico, J.; Ruegamer, S.; Saggion, A.; Saito, K.; Saito, T. Y.; Salvati, M.; Satalecka, K.; Scalzotto, V.; Scapin, V.; Schultz, C.; Schweizer, T.; Shayduk, M.; Shore, STEVEN NEIL; Sillanpaa, A.; Sitarek, J.; Snidaric, I.; Sobczynska, D.; Spanier, F.; Spiro, S.; Stamatescu, V.; Stamerra, A.; Steinke, B.; Storz, J.; Strah, N.; Sun, S.; Suric, T.; Takalo, L.; Takami, H.; Tavecchio, F.; Temnikov, P.; Terzic, T.; Tescaro, D.; Teshima, M.; Tibolla, O.; Torres, D. F.; Treves, A.; Uellenbeck, M.; Vogler, P.; Wagner, R. M.; Weitzel, Q.; Zabalza, V.; Zandanel, F.; Zanin, R.; Pfrommer, C.; Pinzke, A.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201118668

We report on the detection of very-high energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) gamma-ray emission from NGC 1275, the central radio galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies. The source has been detected by the MAGIC telescopes with a statistical significance of 6.6s above 100 GeV in 46 h of stereo observations carried out between August 2010 and February 2011. The measured differential energy spectrum between 70 GeV and 500 GeV can be described by a power law with a steep spectral index of Gamma = -4.1 +/- 0.7(stat) +/- 0.3(syst), and the average flux above 100 GeV is F-gamma = (1.3 +/- 0.2(stat) +/- 0.3(syst)) x 10(-11) cm(-2) s(-1). These results, combined with the power-law spectrum measured in the first two years of observations by the Fermi-LAT above 100 MeV, with a spectral index of Gamma similar or equal to -2.1, strongly suggest the presence of a break or cut-off around tens of GeV in the NGC 1275 spectrum. The light curve of the source above 100 GeV does not show hints of variability on a month time scale. Finally, we report on the nondetection in the present data of the radio galaxy IC 310, previously discovered by the Fermi-LAT and MAGIC. The derived flux upper limit F-gamma(U.L.) (> 300 GeV) = 1.2 x 10(-12) cm(-2) s(-1) is a factor similar to 3 lower than the mean flux measured by MAGIC between October 2009 and February 2010, thus confirming the year time-scale variability of the source at VHE.