We present ESO-NTT low resolution spectroscopy of the neutron star X-ray transient Cen X-4 in quiescence over a complete orbital cycle. Our data reveal the presence of a K3-7 V companion which contributes 63% to the 5600-6900 Å flux and orbits the neutron star with a velocity semi-amplitude of K_2=145.8± 1.0 km s-1. This, combined with a previous

I present results of a high-resolution imaging survey of barred S0--Sa galaxies which show that the central regions of these galaxies are surprisingly complex, and often dominated by dynamically cool components. In particular, inner bars --- secondary, small-scale bars (typically less than a kiloparsec in radius) located inside of, and probably

Following the observational and theoretical evidence that points at core-collapse supernovae (SNe) as major producers of dust, here we calculate the hydrodynamics of the matter reinserted within young and massive super stellar clusters under the assumption of gas and dust radiative cooling. The large SN rate expected in massive clusters allows for

Dwarf galaxies have been the crossroad of significant theoretical and observational efforts, but we still lack firm constraints concerning their formation and evolution. They are also fundamental laboratories to investigate the impact of the environment on star formation and on chemical evolution in stellar systems that are order of magnitudes

We present new radial velocities for 87 globular clusters around the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472 and combine these with our previously published data to create a data set of velocities for 144 globular clusters around NGC 4472. We utilize this data set to analyze the kinematics of the NGC 4472 globular cluster system. The new data confirm our

The first large release of data from the UKIDSS ESO public survey took place in July 2006. The size of the data set is about 7% of the size of the final survey data set. Early science results are presented here, ranging from the nearest coolest brown dwarfs, to the most luminous, rarest, galaxies at 5 z 6. Progress on the headline science goals