MAGIC – Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov Telescope

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.

MAGIC at the MPP

The supernova remains Cassiopeia A generates too little energy for it to come into question as an accelerator for cosmic radiation. (Image: NASA/CXC/SAO)

Cassiopeia A: Possible energy supplier for cosmic radiation shows signs of weakness

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…

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The MAGIC telescopes on the canary island of La Palma

Detour via a gravitational lens makes distant blazar visible

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…

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Extremely energetic photons from the Crab Pulsar are discovered — Observations outshine previous measurements

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…

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Dispatches from the “middle ages” of the universe: MAGIC telescopes measure gamma radiation from a remote galaxy

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…

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Spanish King visits MAGIC

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…

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A black hole under the gravitational lens

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…

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MAGIC telescopes observe an extremely short, powerful outburst of radiation in Galaxy IC 310

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…

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E-mail address: e-mail@mpp.mpg.de
Phone number: +49 89 32354-extension
name function e-mail extension office
Arbet-Engels, Axel, Dr. Postdoc axel.arbet-engels 289 A.2.38
Berti, Alessio Postdoc alessio.berti 227 A.2.50
Besenrieder, Jürgen Engineering juergen.besenrieder 224 A.1.45
Ceribella, Giovanni, Dr. Postdoc giovanni.ceribella 291 A.1.61
Chon, Gayoung, PD Dr. Senior Scientist gayoung.chon 328 A.1.23
Cicciari, Gloria Maria gloria.cicciari 227 A.2.50
Gaborit-Reitz, Lucas Student lucas.gaborit-reitz 312 A.1.23
Green, Jarred Gershon PhD Student jarred.green 259 A.2.44
Hahn, Alexander PhD Student alexander.hahn 421 A.2.46
Hamdi, Sajena Student sajena.hamdi 506 A.2.50
Jimenez Martinez, Irene, Dr. Postdoc irene.jimenez 364 A.2.52
Kelkar, Varun Shriram Student varun.kelkar 259 A.2.44
Marino, Francesco Intern francesco.marino 328 A.1.47
Mirzoyan, Razmik, Dr. Senior Scientist razmik.mirzoyan 328 A.2.34
Nozaki, Seiya, Dr. Postdoc seiya.nozaki 227 A.2.50
Paneque, David, Dr. Senior Scientist david.paneque 349 A.2.36
Peresano, Michele, Dr. Postdoc michele.peresano 543 A.2.52
Pirola, Giorgio PhD Student giorgio.pirola 259 A.2.44
Schmuckermaier, Felix PhD Student felix.schmuckermaier 485 A.2.46
Schweizer, Thomas, Dr. Senior Scientist thomas.schweizer 227 A.2.32
Strom, Derek, Dr. Engineering derek.strom 422 B.2.11
Teshima, Masahiro, Dr. Director masahiro.teshima 301 A.2.41
Wang, Yunhe Student yunhe.wang 312 A.2.52
Werner, Diana Secretary diana.werner 364 A.2.43
van Scherpenberg, Juliane PhD Student juliane.van.scherpenberg 421 A.2.46

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