LST-1 and MAGIC telescopes shatter distance record for the very high-energy blazar OP 313

The MAGIC telescopes and LST-1 observed the most distant very-high-energy blazar, OP 313, ever recorded. The study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, used the prototype LST-1 and MAGIC telescopes at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in Spain. The observations captured a flux of very-high-energy photons from a distance of roughly 8 billion light-years. The findings provide insights into the diffuse extragalactic background light (EBL) and particle acceleration processes in the galaxy's engine. The research highlights the role of relativistic electrons in boosting photons into gamma rays, as part of the leptonic scenario.

• "The LST-1, a prototype for the Large-Sized Telescopes (LSTs), was used in the observations. The telescope is currently undergoing commissioning at the CTAO-North site in La Palma, Spain."
• "The joint data set from the LST-1 and MAGIC telescopes, combined with lower-energy data from other facilities, allowed the authors to obtain stringent constraints on the EBL density and characterize the flux variability."
• "The intense gamma-ray emission was driven by a dense population of relativistic electrons, accelerated to near-light speed within a massive jet of plasma launched by OP 313's central supermassive black hole."

The findings mark a major step forward in understanding the internal engines of flat-spectrum radio quasars. The observations were conducted during the testing phase of the LST-1, which is part of the CTAO's low-energy sensitivity. The LST-1's early performance test demonstrates its potential for observing extreme radiation at unprecedented distances. The study is published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, with the DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202558646.

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