Dr. Andrew Gould
Ohio State

University of Florida Astronomy Colloquium - May 3rd, 2006

Recent Advances in Microlensing

Microlensing surveys were originally undertaken to probe for dark matter but have developed a wide range of applications, from planet hunting to spatially resolving stellar surfaces. I summarize the contradictory evidence about dark matter that has come out of microlensing surveys toward the LMC, SMC, and M31. I report on the two "cold Neptunes" recently found in microlensing surveys and argue that such "failed Jupiters" must be common. Finally, I describe how microlensing contributed to the first mass measurement of a non-binary star (other than the Sun).