Microlensing in M31; Preliminary lightcurves from MEGA
Abstract
One of the possible astrophysical solutions to the galactic dark matter problem is the presence of a significant amount of ``dark'' compact objects (MACHOs) in galactic dark matter halos. MEGA (Microlensing Exploration of the Galaxy and Andromeda) tries to find proof for or against the presence of compact objects in the halo of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) by looking for the microlensing signature that would be induced by these objects. The lightcurves presented here are preliminary and based on observations of M31 with the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) on La Palma during the second half of 1999.
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