Szymon Kozlowski

Research interests

A brief research summary

One of my current subjects of interest are quasars, in particular their variability in the optical (OGLE) and mid-infrared (Sptizer) part of the spectrum. I recently co-discovered 5000 AGN behind the Magellanic Clouds and soon ~1000 of them will be observed with the 4 meter Anglo-Australian Telescope for spectroscopic confirmation. I also work in the field of gravitational lensing and microlensing. In my work I often write photometric pipelines for small/medium-sized telescopes, with the intention of performing very precise photometry (usually) of millions of objects. I also have some experience in the high precision proper motions of stars based on the Hubble Space Telescope observations. I am a member of the MicroFUN collaboration, which aims at detection of microlensing planets. I also closely work with the OGLE microlensing collaboration on detection and understanding of the nature of dark matter in our own Galaxy as well as on constraining the parameters of the inner parts of our Galaxy (via microlensing optical depths). I make use of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), Spitzer Space Telescope and ground based telescopes such as 1.3 meter CTIO and OGLE telescopes in Chile. I have worked with data from all sizes of telescopes starting from 0.3 meter Meade ones, 0.8 m Spitzer, through 1.3 meter OGLE, CTIO and MACHO, 2.4 meter HST, 3.9 meter AAT (spectroscopy) to 8 meter Very Large Telescope (VLT).

Speciality

I have mastered the art of the Difference Image Analysis (DIA or image subtraction), which is a way of doing very precise photometry. Using this method I have co-discovered four extrasolar planets (MOA-2007-BLG-400, MOA-2008-BLG-310, and two more yet to be published) and produced these spectacular light curves of variable stars some 26,000 light years from us.

Projects

Direct collaborators

Miscellaneous information