Recent VERITAS Results on VHE Gamma-ray Sources in Cygnus

Rene A. Ong, for the VERITAS Collaboration

Published 2013-07-18Version 1

The Cygnus region of the Galactic plane is a promising target for high-energy and very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray telescopes as it is home to many potential sources, such as supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae, X-ray binaries and massive star clusters. The VHE gamma-ray observatory VERITAS (Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System) is an array of four 12 m diameter imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes located at Mt. Hopkins, AZ, USA. Over the period of 2007 to 2012, VERITAS has carried out extensive observations in the direction of Cygnus. These observations were initiated by a sky survey that covered Galactic longitudes between 67 and 82 degrees and Galactic latitudes between -1 and 4 degrees. Additional deep observations have been made near specific sources, including TeV J2032+4130, Cygnus X-3, VER J2019+407 (SNR G78.2+2.1/gamma-Cygni), CTB 87, and MGRO J2019+37. This paper summarizes the latest VERITAS results on the various source detections in the direction of Cygnus and our current understanding of the origin for the VHE gamma-ray emission.