A short overview is presented of current issues concerning the production and evolution of Li, Be and B in the Milky Way. In particular, the observed “primary-like” evolution of Be is re-assessed in the light of a novel idea: it is argued that Galactic Cosmic Rays are accelerated from the wind material of rotating massive stars, hit by the forward shock of the subsequent supernova explosions. The pre-galactic levels of both Li isotopes remain controversial at present, making it difficult to predict their Galactic evolution. A quantitative estimate is provided of the contributions of various candidate sources to the solar abundance of Li.

We performed an analysis of the mid-infrared properties of the 12 μm Seyfert sample, a complete unbiased 12 μm flux limited sample of local Seyfert galaxies selected from the IRAS Faint Source Catalog based on low-resolution spectra obtained with the Infrared Spectrograph (IRS) on-board Spitzer Space Telescope. A detailed presentation of this analysis is discussed by Wu et al. (2009). We find that, on average, the 15–30 μm slope of the continuum is 〈 α15–30〉 = −0.85 ± 0.61 for Seyfert 1s and −1.53 ± 0.84 for Seyfert 2s, and there is substantial scatter in each type. Moreover, nearly 32% of Seyfert 1s, and 9% of Seyfert 2s, display a peak in the mid-infrared spectrum at 20 μm, which is attributed to an additional hot dust component. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) equivalent width decreases with increasing dust temperature, as indicated by the global infrared color of the host galaxies. However, no statistical difference in PAH equivalent width is detected between the two Seyfert types of the same bolometric luminosity. Finally, we propose a new method to estimate the AGN contribution to the integrated 12 μm galaxy emission, by subtracting the “star formation” component in the Seyfert galaxies, making use of the tight correlation between PAH 11.2 μm luminosity and 12 μm luminosity for star forming galaxies.

We present high-resolution spectroscopic measurements of the abundances of the α-like element titanium (Ti) and s-process elements yttrium (Y) and lanthanum (La) for M giant candidates of (a) the Sagittarius (Sgr) dwarf spheroidal + tidal tail system, (b) the Triangulum-Andromeda (TriAnd) Star Cloud, and (c) the Galactic Anticenter Stellar Structure (GASS, or Monoceros Stream). All three systems show abundance patterns unlike the Milky Way but typical of dwarf galaxies. The Sgr system abundance patterns resemble those of the Large Magellanic Cloud. GASS/Mon chemically resembles Sgr but is distinct from TriAnd, a result that does not support previous suggestions that TriAnd is a piece of the Monoceros Stream.

We summarize our results based on observations with the NIRI camera on the Gemini North telescope of three Hii galaxies (Mrk 36, UM 408 and UM 461), obtained to identify and determine the ages and masses of the elementary components (the star cluster population) of the starburst regions in compact Hii galaxies. Our preliminary results indicate that the masses of the stellar clusters in these galaxies range from ~104 to ~106 M⊙, with associated ages of a few Myr. The most massive star clusters fall in the so-called super star cluster category. The identification of these clusters suggests that the formation and evolution of massive star clusters is the dominant mode of star formation in these galaxies. Their spatial distribution and ages seem to indicate that star formation is simultaneous over these timescales in some of our objects. We also review our recent description of the spatial distribution of physical conditions in the Hii galaxy UM 408 using the GMOS integral-field unit on Gemini South. The spatial distribution of the oxygen abundance does not show any significant variation or gradient across the galaxy on scales of hundreds of parsecs, within our observational uncertainties, confirming that this compact Hii galaxy, like other previously studied dwarf irregular galaxies, is chemically homogeneous.

We have used over 10,000 early-type galaxies from the 6dF Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) to construct the Fundamental Plane across the optical and near-infrared passbands. We demonstrate that a maximum likelihood fit to a multivariate Gaussian model for the distribution of galaxies in size, surface brightness and velocity dispersion can properly account for selection effects, censoring and observational errors, leading to precise and unbiased parameters for the Fundamental Plane and its intrinsic scatter. This method allows an accurate and robust determination of the dependencies of the Fundamental Plane on variations in the stellar populations and environment of early-type galaxies.

I review in this paper the basic Hebrew planetary terminology. To complete the picture I accompany it with some historical and cultural context, and compare it to the planetary terminology in Arabic, the most widely spoken Semitic language.

Numerical simulations play an increasingly important role in investigating accretion disks and associated phenomena such as jets. This paper provides a few examples of recent results that have been obtained with simulations, both local or global.

In this work, we use the low-redshift, narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies Ark 564 and I Zw 1 as laboratories for modeling the Fe ii emission features in the wavelength range 1200–6700 Å. We utilize data acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope and the 2.7-m telescope at McDonald Observatory.

Due in part to recent (and ongoing) film adaptations, the fantasy series of C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), and J.R.R. Tolkien (The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings) are being introduced to a new audience. Many astronomers and astronomy educators are unaware of the wide variety of astronomical references contained in each series, and the myriad possible uses of these works in astronomy education and outreach. This paper highlights activities which educators, planetariums, and science centers have already developed to utilise these works in their education and outreach programs.

Many astrophysical problems in the theory of formation and evolution of stars and stellar groups require knowledge of the mass or age of individual stars. Stellar masses and ages are not directly observable parameters, and most of the methods used to determine them are based on the calibrating relations obtained from observations or from theoretical considerations. In most cases, the mass-luminosity relation, based on the masses of approximately two hundred well-studied binaries, is the only way to estimate the mass of single stars. Unfortunately, the statistical nature of the mass-luminosity relation means that the stellar masses determined with it may only be considered as approximate. The establishment of methods for estimating stellar masses and ages of stars with accuracy comparable to direct methods remains a challenging task. This work proposes a way to use the location of a star in the HR diagram to estimate its mass and age based on modern stellar models. The method is based on the geometric similarity of evolutionary tracks for the stars at the same evolutionary stage. To examine the proposed approach and involved assumptions, it has been applied to various test data sets.

In the context of accretion disks, I briefly discuss the impact of three major forthcoming radio facilities: e-VLA, ALMA and SKA. These arrays are complementary by their frequency range and angular resolution. Around nearby low-mass stars, they will likely provide the first insights in the inner gas and dust disks (radius < 10-30 AU) in the area where planet formation should occur but would also allow the first investigations of the star, jet and disk connections.

The single stable isotope of beryllium is a pure product of cosmic-ray spallation in the ISM. Assuming that the cosmic-rays are globally transported across the Galaxy, the beryllium production should be a widespread process and its abundance should be roughly homogeneous in the early-Galaxy at a given time. Thus, it could be useful as a tracer of time. In an investigation of the use of Be as a cosmochronometer and of its evolution in the Galaxy, we found evidence that in a log(Be/H) vs. [α/Fe] diagram the halo stars separate into two components. One is consistent with predictions of evolutionary models while the other is chemically indistinguishable from the thick-disk stars. This is interpreted as a difference in the star formation history of the two components and suggests that the local halo is not a single uniform population where a clear age-metallicity relation can be defined. We also found evidence that the star formation rate was lower in the outer regions of the thick disk, pointing towards an inside-out formation.

The configuration of the second phase of the Brazilian Decimetric Array (BDA), installed at Cachoeira Paulista, Brazil (Longitude 45° 0′ 20″ W and Latitude 22° 41′ 19″ S), is a T-shaped array where 21 antennas are being added to existing 5 antennas of the first phase. In the third phase, in each arm of the T array, four more antennas will be added and baselines will be increased to 2.5 × 1.25 km in east-west and south directions, respectively. The antennas will be equally spaced at the distances of 250 meters from the central antenna of the T-array. Also, the frequency range will be increased to 1.2–1.7, 2.8 and 5.6 GHz. The Second phase of the BDA should be operational by the middle of 2010 and will operate in the frequency range of (1.2–1.7) GHz for solar and non solar observations. Here, we present the characteristics of the second phase of the BDA project, details of the array configuration, the u-v coverage, the synthesized beam obtained for the proposed configuration.

W UMa systems can be found everywhere in the Galaxy. They can be used as a distance tracer. Therefore, W UMa systems are very important to investigate the structure of the Galaxy. The distance to W UMa systems in globular clusters (GCs) is determined using a period–color–luminosity relation. It is found that the mean distance (ra) of W UMa systems is consistent with their host cluster distances (rGC) deduced from their intrinsic distance moduli if rGC ≤ 10 kpc. There is a significant difference between ra and rGC for rGC ≥ 10 kpc. We discuss the reasons causing this deviation.

We present chemical abundances obtained by fitting synthetic spectra to the FEROS data of 12 C-J stars, normal and silicate carbon one. The Li and 13C abundance, as well as the s-process elements abundance indicates no evidence of a diferent mechanism of formation between the two kinds of C-J stars. We also studied the α elements, and that suggests a scenario that put the carbon C-R stars as a possible progenitor of the beither C-J stars. We made also available a study of the radial velocity of some stars of the sample calculated at different epochs. That allowed us to make some discussion about the probable binary system of some silicon C-J carbon stars. Based on these abundances and radial velocities, we discuss possible evolutive sequences for the C-J.

I am pleased to recall that the first determination of the Li–abundance in the Sun was made at the Geneva Observatory in 1975 by Edith Müller, Eric Peytremann and Ramiro de la Reza on the basis of spectra taken at Kitt Peak. The first Be determination was also made in Geneva the same year by Y. Chmielewski, J. Brault (Kitt Peak National Observatory) and E. Müller. These two outstanding works opened the door for all further investigations on these light elements.

We present results for 13 spiral galaxies from a sample of 31, where we have used the method developed by González & Graham 1996, to search for and analyze azimuthal color gradients across spiral arms (see figure 1 in Martínez-García et al. 2009). A total of 23 regions were analyzed in the spiral disks. Ten of the galaxies present regions that match theoretical predictions.

The jet phenomenon lasts at least a million years for young, solar-like, stars and it occurs during a wide variety of young stellar object (YSO) phases. This includes the period when the source is highly embedded (Class 0) to when it becomes optically visible for the first time as a classical T Tauri star (Class II). Here I briefly discuss some of the properties of jets from the youngest objects.

We have observed 9 bright metal-poor stars whose kinematics suggest they are members of a stellar stream in the vicinity of the Solar neighborhood. These 9 stars exhibit no star-to-star dispersion in their [X/Fe] ratios for the α and Fe-peak elements, and the neutron-capture elements suggest mild enrichment by the main r-process. The abundance patterns seen in this stream are very similar to those found in the metal-poor globular cluster M15, and the kinematics of M15 are similar to those of the stream, suggesting that these two groups of stars may have shared a common origin.

A sample of poems about astronomy, written in French by the author.