Very high energy gamma rays from the direction of Sagittarius A

We report the detection of a point-like source of very high energy (VHE) $\gamma$-rays coincident within 1' of Sgr A *, obtained with the HESS array of Cherenkov telescopes. The $\gamma$-rays exhibit a power-law energy spectrum with a spectral index of $-2.2 \pm 0.09 \pm 0.15$ and a flux above the 165 GeV threshold of $(1.82 \pm 0.22) \times 10^{-7}$ m -2 s -1. The measured flux and spectrum differ substantially from recent results reported in particular by the CANGAROO collaboration.