Context. Dynamical and albedo properties suggest that asteroids in cometary orbits (ACOs) are dormant or extinct comets. Their study provides new insights for understanding the end-states of comets and the size of the comet population. Aims: We intend to study the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral properties of different ACO populations and

An analysis is presented of VLT-FLAMES spectroscopy for three Galactic clusters, NGC 3293, NGC 4755 and NGC 6611. Non-LTE model atmosphere calculations have been used to estimate effective temperatures (from either the helium spectrum or the silicon ionization equilibrium) and gravities (from the hydrogen spectrum). Projected rotational velocities

Context. The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey has an extensive view of the copious number of massive stars in the 30 Doradus (30 Dor) star forming region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. These stars play a crucial role in our understanding of the stellar feedback in more distant, unresolved star forming regions. Aims: The first comprehensive census of hot

The evolution and fate of very massive stars (VMS) is tightly connected to their mass-loss properties. Their initial and final masses differ significantly as a result of mass loss. VMS have strong stellar winds and extremely high ionising fluxes, which are thought to be critical sources of both mechanical and radiative feedback in giant H ii

Aims: We investigate the characteristics of two newly discovered short-period, double-lined, massive binary systems in the Large Magellanic Cloud, VFTS 450 (O9.7 II-Ib + O7::) and VFTS 652 (B1 Ib + O9: III:). Methods: We perform model-atmosphere analyses to characterise the photospheric properties of both members of each binary (denoting the

The 30 Doradus (30 Dor) nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the brightest HII region in the Local Group and a prototype starburst similar to those found in high redshift galaxies. It is thus a stepping stone to understand the complex formation processes of stars in starburst regions across the Universe. Here, we have studied the formation