We present evidence of a large angle correlation between the cosmic microwave background measured by WMAP and a catalog of photometrically detected quasars from the SDSS. The observed cross correlation is $0.30\pm 0.14\mu \mathrm{K}$ at zero lag, with a shape consistent with that expected for correlations arising from the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect. The photometric redshifts of the quasars are centered at $z\sim 1.5$, making this the deepest survey in which such a correlation has been observed. Assuming this correlation is due to the ISW effect, this constitutes the earliest evidence yet for dark energy and it can be used to constrain exotic dark energy models.

• Received 27 July 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.74.063520