A Search for Massive Compact Halo Objects in Our Galaxy

MAssive Compact Halo Objects such as brown dwarfs, Jupiters, and black holes are prime candidates to comprise the dark halo of our galaxy. Paczynski noted that these objects (dubbed MACHOs) can be detected via gravitational microlensing of stars in the Magellanic Clouds with the caveat that only about one in 10{sup 6} stars will be lensed at any given time. Our group is currently involved in constructing a dedicated observing system at the Mount Stromlo Observatory in Australia. We will use a refurbished 1.27 meter telescope and an innovative two-color CCD camera with 3.4 {times} 10{sup 7} pixels to monitor 10{sup 6} {minus} 10{sup 7} stars in the Magellanic Clouds. During the first year of operation (1991--1992), we hope to detect (or rule out) objects in the mass range 0.001M{sub {circle dot}} {le} M {le} 0.1M{sub {circle dot}}, and after five years, we hope to have covered the range 10{sup {minus}6}M{sub {circle dot}} < M {approx lt} 100M{sub {circle dot}}. 4 refs