MicroFUN

THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS

The Microlensing Follow-Up Network (MicroFUN) is an informal group of observers who monitor high magnification gravitational microlensing events in the Milky Way's Galactic Bulge. Its goal is to detect extrasolar planets via microlensing of the parent star by the planet. MicroFUN is a follow-up network - they monitor microlensing events identified by survey groups such as OGLE and Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA).

In January 2009, MicroFUN merged with the Probing Lensing Anomalies NETwork (PLANET).

History (DRAFT)

MicroFUN BEGINNINGS 'Why does microlensing benefit so much from the participation of amateur astronomers as well as professionals' Microlensing events occur when the magnetic field of a star closer to earth magnifies the light from a star that is further from earth. Expensive equipment is required to detect these events, but because of the magnification provided by the star in the foreground, less sophisticated telescopic equipment can monitor the magnified area for disruptions in magnification caused by planets. Equipment that is now available has become more efficient at detecting microlensing events, but this equipment is in high demand for all sorts of astronomical observations and cannot be dedicated to monitoring these events for disruptions caused by planets.

On the other hand, amateur astronomers with less sophisticated equipment have access to their equipment 24-7 and can ‘follow up’ on microlensing events that have been detected, and for that reason they have contributed to the discovery of several extrasolar planets. The short duration and unpredictable nature of disruptions during microlensing events require this kind of coverage, making amateur efforts very important to searching for extrasolar planets using microlensing. MicroFUN facilitates the collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers that is necessary for the continued discovery of extrasolar planets.

Organizations like MicroFUN provide a forum and a listserv for instant notification of amateur and professional astronomers all over the globe, so that microlensing events can be mined for all the information that can be gathered, and in exchange, amateur astronomers have an exciting and useful role in big discoveries and a clear and democratic path authorship on any peer reviewed scientific publications that result.

More info about the history of MicroFUN at a conference in memory of of Bohdan Paczyński.

Microlensing, in a nutshell (DRAFT: Working on this now)

Main article: Gravitational microlensing

Background

An effect of Einstein's general relativity, which says that all matter bends light that passes by it, microlensing has had a vast impact on astronomy and cosmology, which makes sense because these fields deal solely with collecting and analyzing particles of light, called photons.

Illustrations available

• 
  Artist's Rendition of OGLE 2005 BLG 071LB
• 
  Artist's Rendition of MOA 2007 BLG 400
• Diagram of a Microlensing Event in the Milky Way
  Diagram of a Microlensing Event in the Milky Way
• Microlensing of the Einstein Cross
  Microlensing of the Einstein Cross
• 
  Galaxy Cluster Abell 2218 Distorting Images of Faraway Galaxies
• 
  A Star with an Orbiting Planet Discovered via Microlensing at the Center of the Milky Way in 1991

Planets discovered

MicroFUN played an important role in discovery and analysis of the following extrasolar planets:

OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb

OGLE-2005-BLG-071Lb

OGLE-2005-BLG-169Lb

OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lb, OGLE-2006-BLG-109Lc

MOA-2007-BLG-400Lb

MOA-2008-BLG-310Lb

MOA-2009-BLG-387Lb

MOA-2009-BLG-319Lb

plus a few that have been submitted but not yet published

MOA-2011-BLG-293Lb

MOA-2010-BLG-477 (Bachelet et al. 2012, in press)

How you can get involved

There are various ways to get involved with MicroFUN. Since MicroFUN is a follow-up network, primary data and observations come from outside sources. These sources primarily include OGLE-III and MOA. However, many planetary successes come from amateur observations with small and medium-aperture telescopes. Because microlensing requires diligence and precision, MicroFUN has formulated data requirements that observers must meet. Techniques on using small telescopes for microlensing and data requirements can be found in the article "Detecting Exoplanets by Gravitational Microlensing using a Small Telescope" by Grant Christine of the Auckland Observatory.

Microlensing with medium aperture telescopes typically are established primarily through observatories and typically require a heaftier computer system and observation team. The basic set up and data requirements are also described in detail on the MicroFUN website. Getting involved at the medium-aperture telescope level most likely would mean joining an observation group in a professional research lab. There are many observation sites around the globe, and they are primarily in the southern hemisphere. A full list of observation groups and their corresponding equipment can be found at MicroFUN Observation Groups and Equipment.

See also

• Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA)
• Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE)
• Gravitational lensing
• Gravitational microlensing
• Extrasolar planets

Further reading

• Mason, John, ed. (2008). Exoplanets: Detection, Formation, Properties, Habitability. Springer Praxis Books. ISBN 978-3-540-74007-0.
• Thompson, Andrea (2010-01-10). "Plenty of solar systems like ours expected". space.com. MSNBC.
• Gould, A; et al. (2010). "Frequency of Solar-Like Systems and of Ice and Gas Giants Beyond the Snow Line from High-Magnification Microlensing Events in 2005-2008". Retrieved February 20, 2012. {{cite web}}: Explicit use of et al. in: |author= (help)

External links

• MicroFUN website