The prototype telescope and instruments for the Stellar Observations Network Group (SONG) are nearing completion at the Observatorio del Teide on Tenerife. In this contribution we describe the current status (autumn 2013) of the telescope and its instrumentation. Preliminary performance characteristics are presented for the high-resolution

The spectra of fullerenes C60 and C70, higher fullerenes C76, C78 and C84 and hydrogenated fullerenes (fulleranes) were studied in laboratory in the UV and in the visible spectral range and could be used for searching and recognizing these molecules in space. Furthermore, the radical cation spectra of all the mentioned fullerene series and also of

Basic stellar parameters such as effective temperature, surface gravity, chemical composition, and projected rotational velocity, are important to classify stars and are crucial for successful asteroseismic modelling. However, the Kepler space data do not provide such information. Therefore, ground-based spectral and multi-colour observations of

Context. Rotation is of key importance for the evolution of massive star, including their fate as supernovae or gamma-ray bursts. However, the rotational velocities of OB stars are difficult to determine. Aims: Based on our own data for 31 Galactic O stars and incorporating similar data for 86 OB supergiants from the literature, we aim at

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been proposed as a tool for studying star formation in the Universe, so it is crucial to investigate whether their host galaxies and immediate environments are in any way special compared with other star-forming galaxies. Here we present spatially resolved maps of dust emission of the host galaxyof the closest known GRB

We study the evolution of three fields in the outer Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) disc (Rgc = 3.5-6.2 kpc). Their star formation history indicates a stellar population gradient such that younger stellar populations are more centrally concentrated. We identify two main star-forming epochs, separated by a period of lower activity between ≃7 and ≃4 Gyr