MOA (for Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics) is a
survey carried out
at Mt. John University Observatory in New Zealand
to identify and record microlensingtransients, to
identify possible extra-solar planets and MACHOs, clues regarding
dark matter, and other information available from observations
of such events.
The search began in the mid 1990s with a 61-cm dedicated telescope.
In 2005, a new 1.8-m telescope began operation,
the new telescope and new phase of the survey termed MOA-II,
and the previous work and telescope were termed MOA-I.
The survey field is basically the galactic bulge: this
allows the survey to track many stars, thus recording
numerous useful microlensing events.
Doing this, it also gathers useful light curves of many variable stars.
The survey remains active.