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<TITLE>Two planetary talks this week</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">TUESDAY, MAY 25</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">12:30 pm: Theory Lunch Seminar. "Microlensing Searches for Extrasolar Planets," Dr. Scott Gaudi, CfA. Pratt Conference Room.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Abstract: I review the theory of, results from, and future prospects for microlensing searches for extrasolar planets. Analyses of well-sampled microlensing light curves by several collaborations have demonstrated that current searches are quite sensitive to Jupiter-mass planets at a few AU separations from M-dwarfs in the Galactic bulge. To date, however, no clear planetary detections have been made. Detailed analysis has shown that this null result implies that less than 1/3 of typical stars (i.e. M-dwarfs) in the Galactic bulge have Jupiter-mass (M ~ MJ) companions between 1.5 and 4 AU, and less than 45% have (M~3MJ) companions between 1 and 7 AU. Recent upgrades by the OGLE collaboration have resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of alerted microlensing events per year. This has allowed for much more efficient searches for planets, and has led to the first detection of a planet with microlensing. Within a few years, it will be possible to constrain the frequency of companions with mass as small as ~15 Earth masses to ~10%. Finally, I speculate on the future of microlensing planet searches, focusing on the prospects for the detection Earth-mass planets. I argue that microlensing is likely to be the only technique to supply reliable detections of Earth-mass planets in the next decade. </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">WEDNESDAY, MAY 26</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">MEETING OF THE METEORITE DISCUSSION GROUP</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Dinner, Wine and a Talk</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Wednesday, May 26, 8:00 pm: "Impact Craters on Mars: Windows into the Past and the Present," Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadkyay, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Harvard University. The lecture will be preceded by a May wine Festival ($7 for wine and $2 for soft drinks for the evening) at 6:00 pm, and festive spring buffet dinner ($25), catered by The Basil Tree, at 7:00 pm. To make dinner reservations, call Muazzez Lohmiller, ext. 5-7281, before noon, Monday, May 24. No reservations are necessary to attend the lecture. Pratt Conference Room. </FONT></P>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">More information at:</FONT>
<BR><A HREF="http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/calendar/latest.html"><U><FONT COLOR="#0000FF" SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/calendar/latest.html</FONT></U></A>
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