Abstract:

After almost a century of observations, we still don't know the origin of the highest energy cosmic rays but the possibilities have narrowed down with the discovery that the ultra-high energy sky displays an anisotropic distribution in arrival directions. A significant correlation between the arrival directions of ultra-high cosmic rays measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory and the distribution of nearby active galactic nuclei signals the dawn of particle astronomy. We will discuss these historic results and their implications both for astrophysics and particle physics. Future projects on the field will also be addressed.