Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) is a collaborative project between researchers in New Zealand[1] and Japan,[2] led by Professor Yasushi Muraki of Nagoya University.[3] They use microlensing to observe dark matter, extra-solar planets, and stellar atmospheres from the Southern Hemisphere. The group concentrates especially on the detection and observation of gravitational microlensing events of high magnification, of order 100 or more, as these provide the greatest sensitivity to extrasolar planets. They work with other groups in Australia, the United States and elsewhere. Observations are conducted at New Zealand's Mt. John University Observatory using a 1.8 m (70.9 in) reflector telescope built for the project.[4]
In September 2020, astronomers using microlensing techniques reported the detection, for the first time, of an earth-mass rogue planet unbounded by any star, and free floating in the Milky Way galaxy.[5][6]
MOA telescope mirror images
Underside of main mirror
Camera assembly
Main mirror, side view
Planets discovered
The following planets have been announced by this survey, some in conjunction with other surveys.
Planet Date announced
MOA-2007-BLG-197Lb May 2015
MOA-2008-BLG-379Lb November 2013
MOA-2011-BLG-322Lb September 2013
MOA-bin-1b May 2012
MOA-2009-BLG-387L February 2011
MOA-2007-BLG-400Lb September 18, 2008
MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb May 30, 2008
OGLE-2003-BLG-235/MOA-2003-BLG-53b April 15, 2004
See also
Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment or OGLE, a similar microlensing survey
List of extrasolar planets
References
Staff (1995). "MOA (Microlensing observtion in Astrophysics)" (PDF). Caltech. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Yock, Philip (2012). "Review article - A quarter century of astrophysics with Japan" (PDF). New Zealand Science Review. 69 (3).arXiv:1510.05688. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Latham, David W.; Gaudi, B. Scott (2014). Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (PDF). Encyclopedia of Astronomy. p. 1. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1850-2. ISBN 978-3-642-27833-4. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Sumi, T.; et al. (1 July 2003). "Microlensing Optical Depth toward the Galactic Bulge from Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics Group Observations during 2000 with Difference Image Analysis". The Astrophysical Journal. 591 (1): 204–227.arXiv:astro-ph/0207604. Bibcode:2003ApJ...591..204S. doi:10.1086/375212. S2CID 118776894. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
Gough, Evan (1 October 2020). "A Rogue Earth-Mass Planet Has Been Discovered Freely Floating in the Milky Way Without a Star". Universe Today. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
Mroz, Przemek; et al. (29 September 2020). "A terrestrial-mass rogue planet candidate detected in the shortest-timescale microlensing event".arXiv:2009.12377 [astro-ph.EP].
External links
MOA website
MicroFUN - Microlensing Follow-Up Network
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Dark matter
Forms of
dark matter
Baryonic dark matter Cold dark matter Hot dark matter Light dark matter Mixed dark matter Warm dark matter Self-interacting dark matter Scalar field dark matter Primordial black holes
Hypothetical particles
Axino Axion Dark photon Holeum LSP Minicharged particle Neutralino Sterile neutrino SIMP WIMP
Theories
and objects
Cuspy halo problem Dark fluid Dark galaxy Dark globular cluster Dark matter halo Dark radiation Dark star Dwarf galaxy problem Halo mass function Mass dimension one fermions Massive compact halo object Mirror matter Navarro–Frenk–White profile Scalar field dark matter
Search
experiments
Direct
detection
ADMX ANAIS ArDM CDEX CDMS CLEAN CoGeNT COSINE COUPP CRESST CUORE D3 DAMA/LIBRA DAMA/NaI DAMIC DarkSide DARWIN DEAP DM-Ice DMTPC DRIFT EDELWEISS EURECA KIMS LUX LZ MACRO MIMAC NAIAD NEWAGE NEWS-G PandaX PICASSO PICO ROSEBUD SABRE SIMPLE TREX-DM UKDMC WARP XENON XMASS ZEPLIN
Indirect
detection
AMS-02 ANTARES ATIC CALET CAST DAMPE Fermi HAWC HESS IceCube MAGIC MOA OGLE PAMELA VERITAS
Other projects
MultiDark PVLAS
Potential dark galaxies
HE0450-2958 HVC 127-41-330 Smith's Cloud VIRGOHI21
Related
Antimatter Dark energy Exotic matter Galaxy formation and evolution Illustris project Imaginary mass Negative mass UniverseMachine
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Exoplanet search projects
Exoplanetology Exoplanet
Ground-based
AAPS APF CORALIE EAPSNet ELODIE EPICS ESPRESSO FINDS Exo-Earths Geneva
HARPS HARPS-N GPI HATNet HEK HiCIAO HIRES KELT LCES Magellan MARVELS MASCARA MEarth MicroFUN MINERVA
Australis MOA N2K NGTS NESSI OGLE OPSP PlanetPol Project 1640 PARAS SEEDS SETI SOPHIE SPECULOOS SPHERE SuperWASP Systemic TrES XO Telescope ZIMPOL/CHEOPS
HST SWEEPS Detail 2006.jpg
Keplerspacecraft-FocalPlane-cutout.svg
LombergA1024.jpg
Space missions
Past
MOST (2003–2019) SWEEPS using HST (2006) CoRoT (2006–2013) EPOXI using Deep Impact (2008–2013) Kepler (2009–2018)
detected exoplanets
Current
Gaia (2013–present) ASTERIA (2017–present) TESS (2018–present) CHEOPS (2019–present)
Planned
Hayabusa2 (2021) James Webb Space Telescope (2021) PLATO (2026) ARIEL (2028) Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (mid-2020s)
Proposed
EXCEDE HabEx LIFE LUVOIR Nautilus Deep Space Observatory New Worlds Mission OST PEGASE
Cancelled
Darwin EChO Eddington Space Interferometry Mission Terrestrial Planet Finder
Detection methods Discoveries of exoplanets Lists of exoplanets
nearest
Hellenica World - Scientific Library
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