Starlight Through the Lens: A New View on Stellar Oscillations

Our project seeks to unlock a new understanding of stellar structure and evolution by combining, for the first time, the fields of asteroseismology and microlensing. Asteroseismology allows us to examine the inner workings of stars by studying changes in their light caused by internal oscillations, while gravitational microlensing acts as a cosmic magnifying glass, bending and amplifying the light of distant stars as massive objects pass in front of them. This combined approach will become feasible with the launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in 2027. It will enable us to study stars at previously unreachable distances across the Milky Way, leveraging light magnification to probe distant stars. Notably, the magnification patterns during microlensing events will unveil previously inaccessible stellar oscillation modes, offering new and deeper insights into stellar structure and evolution.