Discovery of >100 GeV Gamma-ray Emission from the Blazar 3C66A by VERITAS
ATel #1753; Simon Swordy for the VERITAS collaboration
on 1 Oct 2008; 21:43 UT
Credential Certification: Simon Swordy (s-swordy@uchicago.edu)
Subjects: >GeV, Request for Observations, AGN
The VERITAS collaboration reports the discovery of very high-energy
gamma-ray emission from the intermediate-frequency-peaked BL Lac
object 3C66A with the VERITAS array of four 12 m imaging atmospheric
Cherenkov telescopes (Mt. Hopkins, Az). This blazar was detected by
EGRET and is likely to be detected by the recently launched Fermi
Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Even though this is a well-known AGN, its
redshift is uncertain (see Bramel et al., 2005, ApJ, 629, 108 and
Finke et al., 2008, A&A, 447, 513).
3C66A appears to be in an active state since at least Sept. 25, 2008
when VERITAS started observing it, resulting in a highly significant
detection (> 8 standard deviations). The gamma-ray spectrum is soft,
and the integral gamma-ray flux above 100 GeV is about 0.1 Crab. The
VERITAS array will continue to observe 3C66A this month. Up to date
information regarding the VERITAS observation schedule for this source
will be available at the website below. Multi-wavelength observations
across the electromagnetic spectrum are strongly encouraged. In
particular, redshift measurements would be highly valuable given the
possible implications of the detection of this gamma-ray source for
extragalactic background light (EBL) studies. http://castor.adlerplanetarium.org/MWL/index.php/Multiwavelength_Campaigns