Studies of the Influence of Moonlight on Observations with the MAGIC Telescope

Understand

The ground-based imaging atmospheric Cherenkov technique is currently the most powerful observation method for very high energy gamma rays.

• With its specially designed camera and readout system, the MAGIC Telescope is capable of observing also during nights with a comparatively high level of night-sky background light.
• This allows to extend the MAGIC duty cycle by 30% compared to dark-night observations without moon.
• Here we investigate the impact of increased background light on single-pixel level and show the performance of observations in the presence of moonlight conditions to be consistent with dark night observations.