First Detection of a Gravitational Microlensing Candidate toward the Small Magellanic Cloud

We report the first discovery of a gravitational microlensing candidate toward a new population of source stars, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The candidate event's light curve shows no variation for 3 yr before an upward excursion lasting ~217 days that peaks around 1997 January 11 at a magnification of ~2.1. Microlensing events toward the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Galactic bulge have allowed important conclusions to be reached on the …