• Accepted Paper

Evidence for the Moon and Sun shadows with cosmic rays at an average energy of 7×1017 eV

A. Abdul Halim et al.

Phys. Rev. D - Accepted 9 November, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/qdw9-tbz2

Abstract

Interactions of cosmic rays with the Moon and the Sun produce deficits in their arrival-direction distributions relative to an isotropic flux. Such shadows have been observed previously at energies between 1012eV and 1016eV. We report the first evidence for the Moon and Sun shadows at cosmic-ray energies larger than about 1016eV (average energy of 7×1017eV), using data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory. We employ data from three detector arrays covering 3000km2, 27km2, and 2km2, with spacings of 1500m, 750m, and 433m, respectively. The data amount to over 10.6 million events. The Moon and Sun shadows are detected with a combined significance of approximately 3σ. These observations confirm the pointing accuracy of the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory using celestial bodies. From the combined Sun and Moon shadows, we infer an overall angular resolution of (0.59−0.11+0.15)∘.

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