Breaking the Redshift Barrier: H.E.S.S. and the Distant Blazar PKS 0346−27
Published: January 6, 2026
Duration: 15:37
In this episode, we dive into a groundbreaking discovery in high-energy astrophysics: the detection of the blazar PKS 0346−27 at a redshift of $z = 0.991$. This makes it one of the most distant objects ever detected in very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-rays ($E > 100$ GeV). We explore how the H.E.S.S. (High Energy Stereoscopic System) telescopes in Namibia managed to capture this elusive signal despite the thick "fog" of Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) that usually absorbs such distant photons.
Key Discussion Points:
The Record-Breaking Detection: Why reaching a redshift of approximately 1 is a major milestone for ga...