DISCOVERY OF A VERY HIGH ENERGY GAMMA-RAY SIGNAL FROM THE 3C 66A/B REGION

The MAGIC telescope observed the region around the distant blazar 3C 66A for 54.2 hr in 2007 August-December. The observations resulted in the discovery of a gamma-ray source centered at celestial coordinates R.A. = 2(h)23(m)12(s) and decl.=43 degrees 0'.7 (MAGIC J0223+430), coinciding with the nearby radio galaxy 3C 66B. A possible association of the excess with the blazar 3C 66A is discussed. The energy spectrum of MAGIC J0223+430 follows a power law with a normalization of (1.7 +/- 0.3(stat) +/- 0.6(syst)) x 10(-11) TeV(-1) cm(-2) s(-1) at 300 GeV and a photon index Gamma = -3.10 +/- 0.31(stat) +/- 0.2(syst).