astronomy

OGLE-2003-BLG-235L

OGLE-2003-BLG-235L is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand OGLE-2003-BLG-235L rather than just read about it. In short: OGLE-2003-BLG-235L (MOA-2003-BLG-53L) is a star in the constellation of Sagittarius. The first gravitational microlensing event for which a planet orbiting the lens was detected around this star.

Key takeaways

OGLE-2003-BLG-235L belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect OGLE-2003-BLG-235L to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of OGLE-2003-BLG-235L from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

OGLE-2003-BLG-235L (MOA-2003-BLG-53L) is a star in the constellation of Sagittarius. The first gravitational microlensing event for which a planet orbiting the lens was detected around this star. The event occurred in during July 2003. Two groups observed and independently detected the event: the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA), hence, the double designation. It is an orange dwarf star of spectral type K, which is accompanied by a giant planet.

Lens system OGLE-2003-BLG-235L and MOA-2003-BLG-53L is the designation given to the star in the lens system. In 2004, analysis of the light curve produced as it passed in front of the source star allowed detection of an exoplanet orbiting the star with a mass 0.0039 times that of the host star (this would put it in the jovian mass range). The star was originally assumed to be a red dwarf star, since they are the most common type of star in the galaxy. By 2006, the source and lens star had moved far enough apart (as viewed from Earth) that their light could be separated. Observations by the Hubble Space Telescope revealed that in fact the lens star was actually brighter and less red than expected, matching the expected spectra for a K dwarf of about 0.63 solar masses, more massive than the average star in the galaxy. This enables an estimate of the distance to the lens star, which puts it at around 5.8 kiloparsecs (19,000 light years) away.

Planetary system The OGLE-2003-BLG-235L/MOA-2003-BLG-53L system consists of one planet as determined by the discovery team and the follow-up confirmation observations.

See also Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment or OGLE List of extrasolar planets

References

External links "OGLE235-MOA53". Exoplanets. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-04-30.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with OGLE-2003-BLG-235L

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what OGLE-2003-BLG-235L claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to OGLE-2003-BLG-235L before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about OGLE-2003-BLG-235L ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of OGLE-2003-BLG-235L

In research: OGLE-2003-BLG-235L appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses OGLE-2003-BLG-235L in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: OGLE-2003-BLG-235L is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Gravitational lensing, K-type main-sequence stars, Main-sequence-star stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for OGLE-2003-BLG-235L outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study OGLE-2003-BLG-235L in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what OGLE-2003-BLG-235L means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain OGLE-2003-BLG-235L out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is OGLE-2003-BLG-235L in simple terms?

OGLE-2003-BLG-235L (MOA-2003-BLG-53L) is a star in the constellation of Sagittarius. The first gravitational microlensing event for which a planet orbiting the lens was detected around this star.

Why does OGLE-2003-BLG-235L matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study OGLE-2003-BLG-235L?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on OGLE-2003-BLG-235L.