Aims: In this work we present chromospheric activity indices, kinematics, radial-velocities, and rotational velocities for more than 850 FGK-type dwarfs and subgiant stars in the southern hemisphere and test how best to calibrate and measure S-indices from echelle spectra. Methods: We measured our parameters using the high-resolution and high-S/N

Accurate astrophysical polarimetry requires a proper characterization of the polarization properties of the telescope and instrumentation employed to obtain the observations. Determining the telescope and instrument Muller matrix is becoming increasingly difficult with the increase in aperture size, precision requirements and instrument complexity

In this invited talk, I briefly summarise early photometric and proper motion surveys carried out in the nearest and youngest open clusters to introduce the motivation behind the Galactic Cluster component of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey. Afterwards, I focus on the latest results that we obtained in the Upper Sco association and in the

A detailed study of the blue supergiant UIT 005 (B2-2.5Ia+) in M 33 is presented. The results of our quantitative spectral analysis indicate that the star is a very luminous (log L/L sun ~ 5.9 dex) and massive (M ~ 50 M sun) object, showing a very high nitrogen-to-oxygen ratio in its surface (N/O~8, by mass). Based on the derived Mg and Si

Ultra-cool dwarfs as wide companions to subgiants, giants, white dwarfs and main sequence stars can be very good benchmark objects, for which we can infer physical properties with minimal reference to theoretical models, through association with the primary stars. We have searched for benchmark ultra-cool dwarfs in widely separated binary systems

The region of the hot end of the main-sequence is hosting pulsating stars of different types and flavours. Pulsations are not only observed for Slowly pulsating B stars (mid to late B-type stars; high order g-modes) and β Cephei stars (early B-type stars; low order p/g-modes) but are also causing variability in Be stars and OB-supergiants. In this