Observation of M87 with VERITAS

TL;DR

This paper reports the detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the nearby radio galaxy M87 using the VERITAS telescope array, providing insights into gamma-ray phenomena in non-blazar active galactic nuclei.

Contribution

First detection of VHE gamma-ray emission from M87 with VERITAS, confirming its status as a gamma-ray source and enabling further studies of AGN emission mechanisms.

Findings

Significant gamma-ray excess detected above 250 GeV

Statistical significance exceeds five standard deviations

Observation confirms M87 as a VHE gamma-ray source

Abstract

The giant radio galaxy M87 is the only extragalactic non-blazar object which has been detected as a source of very high energy gamma-rays. It represents a unique opportunity to study the phenomena of gamma-ray emission from a nearby AGN. In this paper we report preliminary results from the observations of M87 taken with the imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope array VERITAS in February, March and April 2007. An excess of photons above an energy threshold of 250 GeV is measured with a sta tistical significance of more than five standard deviations.