Roman has three primary objectives. Two focus on observing the universe on the largest scales \u2013 studying distant galaxies and exploding supernovae. The goal is to better understand dark energy and dark matter, the mysterious components that make up most of the universe but remain poorly understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The third objective is gravitational microlensing \u2013 specifically, using this method to search for planets. Researchers will look for both planets orbiting stars other than the Sun and free-floating \u201crogue\u201d planets that are not bound to any star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Microlensing is a specialty of scientists at the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw, who have studied the phenomenon from ground-based observatories for decades. Their expertise earned them an invitation to join the NASA team preparing the Roman mission. Dr. Przemys\u0142aw Mr\u00f3z and Prof. Rados\u0142aw Poleski are the only Polish scientists involved in the mission\u2019s preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Light from a distant star normally travels in a straight line. But if it passes through the gravitational field of a closer star \u2013 called a lens \u2013 its path bends slightly before reaching us. As a result, the distant star appears temporarily brighter. If the lensing star has a planet, that planet can produce an additional signal detectable in the light curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn short, a change in a star\u2019s brightness can reveal that another star has a planet. That\u2019s microlensing, and the deflection we observe is a consequence of Einstein\u2019s theory of relativity,\u201d explains Prof. Rados\u0142aw Poleski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scientists predict that Roman could discover up to 2,000 planets orbiting stars, as well as several hundred rogue planets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlthough we currently know about 6,000 exoplanets, we haven\u2019t been able to detect any exomoons yet. Perhaps Roman will change that,\u201d Prof. Poleski adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to its major cosmological and microlensing programs, Roman will also carry out smaller, innovative projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne idea is to attempt direct imaging of planets by blocking a star\u2019s light and trying to see the planet next to it. This is already being attempted from Earth. We\u2019ll see what happens when it\u2019s done from space. For now, it\u2019s a relatively small part of the mission, but in 50 years it may turn out to be the most important,\u201d says Prof. Poleski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What advantages does a space telescope have over instruments on Earth? In space, there is no day-night cycle, so observations can continue uninterrupted\u2014something impossible from the ground. Roman will also conduct observations in infrared light, avoiding many of the limitations caused by Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn visible light, our galaxy is largely opaque \u2013 dust and gas obscure light from distant objects. Infrared observations make the galaxy more transparent, allowing us to see many more distant stars,\u201d explains Dr. Przemys\u0142aw Mr\u00f3z.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building the telescope itself is only part of the challenge. Roman will have a mirror the same size as Hubble\u2019s and a camera with a field of view 100 times larger. But developing the observation strategy and the analytical tools takes even more time \u2013 and researchers from the University of Warsaw are contributing to that effort as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re developing conceptual plans and thinking through what the observations should look like. There\u2019s still a lot we don\u2019t know about our galaxy, so our strategy has to be flexible enough to account for those unknowns. NASA has a three-tier decision structure, with successive committees determining the observation plans. Our job is to quantify how results might change \u2013 for example, if we observe a given field every 22 minutes instead of 17,\u201d says Prof. Poleski.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Selecting which regions of the sky to observe, how frequently to observe them, and which filters to use is only part of the task. The other major challenge is data analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe expect enormous volumes of data \u2013 observations of hundreds of millions of stars. We\u2019ll need to identify the most interesting objects and study them in detail. That means developing algorithms and software capable of analyzing these massive datasets. Only then can we move on to the scientific interpretation,\u201d Dr. Mr\u00f3z adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Data collected by Roman will be publicly available through NASA\u2019s software systems, giving astronomers worldwide access to the observations. Researchers will be able to analyze the data according to their own interests \u2013 for example, searching for comets or asteroids instead of exoplanets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This openness also extends to competing missions, including those conducted by China. Even so, scientists are confident that Roman will represent a major breakthrough in space research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/serwisnaukowy.uw.edu.pl\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/23-15903_Roman_CSM_Integrate-Pano_resize-1024x386.jpg.webp\")
What is microlensing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Why Observe from Space?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Planning a NASA mission<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Open Access to Space Data<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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