Here we present multilevel radiative transfer calculations of the scattering polarization of neutral titanium lines in a three-dimensional model of the solar photosphere, which we have obtained from realistic hydrodynamical simulations of solar surface convection. We consider the particularly interesting case of the Ti I multiplet a{^5}F - y{^5}Fo

We identify SDSS 0110+1326, SDSS 0303+0054 and SDSS 1435+3733 as three eclipsing white dwarf plus main sequence binaries from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and report on their follow-up observations. Orbital periods for the three systems are established through multi-season photometry. Time-resolved spectroscopic observations lead to the

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Aims: The aim of this work is to estimate the size distribution of small Trans-Neptunian objects. Methods: We simulate the irradiation and collisional processes affecting the surface of a Trans-Neptunian object for the first time using as a constraint the peculiar crystalline to amorphous water ice ratio observed on (136108) 2003 EL61. Results: We

The star formation history of the Magellanic Clouds, including the old and intermediate-age star formation events, can be studied reliably and in detail through color-magnitude diagrams reaching the oldest main sequence turnoffs. This paper reviews our current understanding of the Magellanic Clouds' star formation histories and discusses the impact

We study the spatial distribution and colours of galaxies within the region covered by the cold spot in the cosmic microwave background recently detected by the Very Small Array interpherometer (VSA) towards the Corona Borealis supercluster (CrB-SC). The spot is in the northern part of a region with a radius ~1° (~5Mpc at the redshift of CrB-SC)