FIRST DETECTION OF A GRAVITATIONAL MICROLENSING CANDIDATE TOWARD THE SMALL-MAGELLANIC-CLOUD

We report the first discovery of a gravitational microlensing candidat e toward a new population of source stars, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The candidate event's light curve shows no variation for 3 yr b efore an upward excursion lasting similar to 217 days that peaks aroun d 1997 January 11 at a magnification of similar to 2.1. Microlensing e vents toward the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Galactic bulge have al lowed important conclusions to be reached on the stellar and dark matt er content of the Milky Way. The SMC gives a new line of sight through the Milky Way and is expected to prove useful in determining the flat tening of the Galactic halo.