MAGIC – Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov Telescope
The MAGIC telescopes at Roque de los Muchachos, La Palma (Image: R. Wagner)
With a reflector diameter of 17 meters each, the two MAGIC telescopes are the most sensitive Cherenkov telescopes in the world, especially in the energy range below 200 gigaelectronvolts (GeV). Their line of sight is directed at objects that emit gamma rays ranging from 30 GeV to 100 TeV (teraelectronvolts). This means that MAGIC can cover an enormous energy spectrum.
The twin telescopes are located 2,200 meters above sea level on the Canary Island of La Palma where the clear skies and lack of light pollution make for optimal observing conditions. The Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) leads the international collaboration of about 165 astrophysicists from 24 research institutions in eleven countries. Together, they are responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the telescopes. MAGIC allows astrophysicists to obtain first class data for gaining scientific insights into enigmatic objects and the most violent processes in the universe.
The MAGIC telescopes have been in operation since 2003 and 2009 respectively. The MPP played a major role in the development and construction of their mechanical structure, imaging cameras and calibration system.
Since the outset, MAGIC has delivered many valuable scientific discoveries.
What gives the particles of cosmic radiation, which permeate the universe, their high energy? It is suspected that supernova remains might act as naturally occurring particle accelerators. Cassiopeia A is one of a handful of such objects in our…
Never before have astrophysicists measured light of such high energy from a celestial object so far away. Around 7 billion years ago, a huge explosion occurred at the black hole in the center of a galaxy. This was followed by a burst of…
The most energetic light ever observed from a few kilometres large star
The Crab Pulsar has set a new record: The neutron star in the Crab Nebula is sending out the most energetic light radiation that has ever been measured from a star. This observation could challenge our current understanding of pulsars. Moreover, a…
For the first time, scientists have observed gamma radiation from a well-known distant galaxy. In the center of the active galaxy PKS 1441+25 resides a massive black hole, which is surrounded by a luminous disk of matter. The latest observation leads…
The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canaria (IAC) on Tenerife was honored by a visit of Felipe VI, King of Spain. The king was the VIP guest at the ceremony for IAC’s 30th anniversary. The next day, the monarch visited also the MAGIC telescopes on the…
Turbulent processes take place close to supermassive black holes, which lurk in the centres of nearly all galaxies. They swallow up matter flowing in from the outside while at the same time producing so-called gas jets which shoot out into space in…
The radio galaxy IC 310 in the Perseus constellation is approximately 260 million light years away from Earth. Astronomers assume there is a supermassive black hole at its centre. This black hole was the setting for an extremely powerful outburst of…
Detection of very high energy gamma-ray emission from the gravitationally-lensed blazar QSO B0218+357 with the MAGIC telescopes MAGIC Collaboration arxiv:1609.01095
Teraelectronvolt pulsed emission from the Crab Pulsar detected by MAGIC MAGIC Collaboration Astronomy & Astrophysics, Volume 585 (January 2016) doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201526853
Very high Energy γ-Ray from the universe’s middle age: Detection of the z = 0.940 Blazar PKS 1441+25 with MAGIC Magic Collaboration The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 815:L23 (8pp), 2015 December 20 doi:10.1088/2041-8205/815/2L23
