AGILE detection of new flaring activity from blazar 3C 454.3

During the current Observing Block started on 2008-06-15 12 00 UT, the AGILE Gamma Ray Imaging Detector (GRID) detected 3C 454.3 in high state in the period between 2008-06-25 03 00 UT and 2008-06-26 03 00 UT. A preliminary maximum likelihood analysis shows a detection at a significance level above 5 sigma, with a source flux in excess of about 200e-8 ph/ cm2/s for E>100 MeV. 3C 454.3 was previously detected in high state several times by the AGILE-GRID during 2007 and 2008 (see also ATels #1160, #1167, #1278, #1300 and #1545).