Primitive asteroids contain the most pristine material that gave birth to the rocky planets. Interest in spectral data from primitive asteroids that could be the source of the primitive near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) has increased in anticipation of the two sample-return missions that will reach their targets in the next four years and bring samples

We develop a method for computing the probability densities of spherical voids in distribution of galaxies on a large scale. This method is applied to Poissonian cluster models. We consider CDM biased and non-biased models; the appropriate approximation has been used in each case. We find that, in the latter case, the probability finding a void

Context. We present a spectral analysis of the binary G 224-58 AB, which consists of the coolest M extreme subdwarf (esdM5.5) and a brighter primary (esdK5). This binary may serve as a benchmark for metallicity measurement calibrations and as a test bed for atmospheric and evolutionary models for esdM objects. Aims: We perform the analysis of

The observed emission-line ratios of the extended emission-line regions of Cen A and 3C 227 are compared with the theoretical results from photoionization models, assuming a power-law spectrum for the nuclear ionizing radiation. We show that a variation of the optical depth of the emitting gas can mimic a variation of the ionization parameter. Most

We analyze the timing of photons observed by the MAGIC telescope during a flare of the active galactic nucleus Mkn 501 for a possible correlation with energy, as suggested by some models of quantum gravity (QG), which predict a vacuum refractive index ≃1+E, n=1,2. Parametrizing the delay between γ-rays of different energies as Δt=±τE or Δt=±τE, we

This "Declaration" has aroused considerable support among astronomical librarians and has been translated into Italian and Spanish. We describe the contents of the Declaration, how it has progressed since its publication and its future prospects.