The detection of new binary central stars of planetary nebulae is crucial to definitively determine the importance of binary interactions in the nebular morphology. In this context, we are working on a project that aims to increase the low number of binary central stars detected so far. For that, we are first analyzing public archival data in order

A multi-mission image search tool has been created through a collaboration between Google and NASA Ames Research Center, using Google Earth as a virtual observatory (VO) for accessing search results. Follow-on work will expand the utilization of the VO and refine the features based on user research.

It is well known that magnetic activity in late-type stars increases with increasing rotation rate. Using inversion techniques akin to medical imaging, the rotationally broadened profiles from such stars can be used to reconstruct `Doppler images' of the distribution of cool, dark starspots on their stellar surfaces. Interacting binaries, however

The discrepancy between abundances computed using optical recombination lines (ORLs) and collisionally excited lines (CELs) is a major, unresolved problem with significant implications for the determination of chemical abundances throughout the Universe. In planetary nebulae (PNe), the most common explanation for the discrepancy is that two

The recently discovered accreting X-ray pulsar IGR J17480-2446 spins at a frequency of ~11 Hz. We show that Type I X-ray bursts from this source display oscillations at the same frequency as the stellar spin. IGR J17480-2446 is the first secure case of a slowly rotating neutron star (NS) which shows Type I burst oscillations (BOs), all other

The main goal of this work is the analysis of new approaches in order to study the properties of astronomical sites. The objective is to calibrate the atmospheric extinction provided by in situ techniques through remote sensing data retrieved from satellite-platforms. We have selected data provided by different spectrographs on board NASA and ESA