Search for Extra-solar Planet and Dark Stars by Gravitational Microlensing

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The Japan-NZ astronomy collaboration known as MOA (Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) was formed in 1995 with the aim of searching for a component of dark matter in the form of MACHOs (Massive Compact Halo Objects) and also for extra-solar planets using the gravitational microlensing technique. This technique uses the gravitational fields of stars and other massive objects to effectively form large lenses in space as predicted by general relativity. The feasibility of the microlensing technique was pointed out by Bohdan Paczynski in 1986. He proposed monitoring as many stars as possible in the Magellanic Clouds and the galactic bulge to find gravitational lenses in the galactic halo or the galactic disc.The MOA collaboration commenced observations in 1995 using a 0.6m telescope at the Mt John observatory in NZ. In 2005 a 1.8m telescope was installed at Mt John by Japan. Since that time more than 500 microlensing events have been found each year towards the galactic bulge. Also, … More events have been found towards the Magellanic Clouds.The events found by MOA were made publicly available via the world wide web to enable other observatories to monitor selected events, in particular those with high magnifications. This resulted in the discovery of 16 extra-solar planets orbiting stars in the galactic disc and the galactic bulge. These planets were found just beyond the snowlines of their host stars. This is the region of maximum sensitivity of the microlensing technique, and it also the region where ice-giant and gas-giant planets form according to the core accretion theory. The data on these planets complements data being obtained on closer-in planets by the radial velocity and transit techniques.In addition to the above discoveries, a new class of extra-solar planets was discovered by MOA. These planets are not bound to stars. They have masses similar to that of Jupiter, and they are approximately as abundant as stars in the galaxy.Finally, the Konan University group of MOA completed the analysis of observations made between 1999 and 2005 towards the Large Magellanic Cloud with the 0.6m telescope at Mt John. Approximately 9,000 Miras and 13,000 Cepheid variable stars were found. Those results will be presented in elsewhere. Less