Very high energy gamma rays from the direction of Sagittarius A^*

Abstract

We report the detection of a point-like source of very high energy (VHE) -rays coincident within 1 of Sgr A * , obtained with the HESS array of Cherenkov telescopes. The -rays exhibit a power-law energy spectrum with a spectral index of -2.2 0.09 0.15 and a flux above the 165 GeV threshold of (1.82 0.22) 10 -7 m -2 s -1 . The measured flux and spectrum differ substantially from recent results reported in particular by the CANGAROO collaboration.