Observe a microlens event

[wvreeven]

Dear all,

Sorry for the late notification. I have known about this for several days now. Currently there is a (now fading) microlens event ongoing that is well placed in the sky in Taurus and still reasonably bright. The event is known as TCP J05074264+2447555. Last night I imaged it with my Canon EOS 700D and William Optics ZenithStar 71 ED from my backyard. I estimate it was m=12.8 at the time and it will be around m=13 by now. The AAVSO have made finder charts available and it is very close to the open cluster NGC 1746 in Taurus. For instance, the B chart (FOV = 3 degrees) can be found here

https://www.aavso.org/apps/vsp/chart/?fov=180.0&scale=B&star=TCP+J05074264%2B2447555&orientation=visual&maglimit=11.0&resolution=150&north=down&east=right&type=chart

My full frame image is

2743

with the microlens about half way between the center and upper rim of the image. Sorry for the bad quality of the image. The Moon was less than 10 degrees away in the sky. A zoomed in crop is

2744

with the lens at the center of the crop to the lower left of the bright star.


Clear skies, Wouter

[wvreeven]

Close inspection of the light curve seems to indicate that the lensing object in fact is binary. Apparently it is a star with an Earth-like planet passing 1 to 3 kpc in front of the background object. See

http://www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=10934

[Howard B]

That is SO cool! Alas, I have no chance to see it because the rainy season has begun here in Oregon...

[wvreeven]

Bummer Howard! Still, fingers crossed for clear skies for you (and every one else of course).

[Vic]

Observed today (Nov 14.83 UT) and estimated as 13.5 mag. It seems it has already faded down to the pre-event brightness.