Two-dimensional stellar kinematics of 48 representative elliptical (E) and lenticular (S0) galaxies obtained with the SAURON integral-field spectrograph reveal that early-type galaxies appear in two broad flavours, depending on whether they exhibit clear large-scale rotation or not. We define a new parameter , which involves luminosity-weighted

We analyse the orbital distribution of elliptical (E) and lenticular (S0) galaxies using SAURON integral-field stellar kinematics within about one effective (half-light) radius. We construct the anisotropy diagram, which relates the ratio of the ordered and random motion in a galaxy (V/σ) to its observed ellipticity (ɛ), for the 48 E/S0 galaxies

We present absorption-line strength maps of a sample of 24 representative early-type spiral galaxies, mostly of type Sa, obtained as part of the SAURON (Spectrographic Areal Unit for Research on Optical Nebulae) survey of nearby galaxies using our custom-built integral-field spectrograph. Using high-quality spectra, spatially binned to a constant

Recent theoretical investigations have pointed out that the cores of the Lyα lines of H I and He II should show measurable scattering polarization signals when observing the solar disk, and that the magnetic sensitivity, through the Hanle effect, of such linear polarization signals is suitable for exploring the magnetism of the solar transition

One of the greatest challenges in solar and stellar physics in the coming years will be to observe the second solar spectrum with a spatial resolution significantly better than 1". This type of scattering polarization observation would probably allow us to discover hitherto unknown aspects of the Sun's hidden magnetism. Here we report on some

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