Spectroscopic Results of Gravitational Microlenses: Are These Dark Objects or Faint Stars?

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Session 23 -- Gravitational Lensing
Display presentation, Monday, 9, 1995, 9:20am - 6:30pm

[23.04] Spectroscopic Results of Gravitational Microlenses: Are These Dark Objects or Faint Stars?

C.L. Joseph, J. Gallagher (U. Wisconsin), M. Phillips (CTIO)

We report on the spectroscopic results obtained in October 1994 with the 4-meter telescope on Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory (CTIO). Spectra of 2 recent microlens candidates toward the Galactic bulge reported by the Optical Gravitational Lens Experiment (OGLE) as well as one caught in the early phases of brightening toward the LMC reported by the MAssive Compact Halo Object (MACHO) Project have been obtained. The spectral coverage is from 6500 to 9800 Angstroms at a resolution of 6 Angstroms.

The long-term goal of this spectroscopic study is to obtain sensored statistical evidence on the luminosity of the microlenses, constraining the nature of these lenses. Several models of composite spectra of a bulge or LMC star plus a cool lensing star of different spectral types are presented to demonstrate the ranges in the product of luminosity times distance that the faint star could be detected in a composite spectrum.

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