We present the first results of hydrodynamical simulations that follow the formation of galaxies to the present day in nearly spherical regions of radius ~20h-1Mpc drawn from the Millennium Simulation (Springel et al.). The regions have mean overdensities that deviate by (-2, -1, 0, +1, +2)σ from the cosmic mean, where σ is the rms mass fluctuation

Aims: EX Lupi is the prototype of EXors, a subclass of low-mass pre-main sequence stars whose episodic eruptions are attributed to temporarily increased accretion. In quiescence the optical and near-infrared properties of EX Lup cannot be distinguished from those of normal T Tau stars. Here we investigate whether it is the circumstellar disk

The study of stellar populations in early-type galaxies in different environments is a powerful tool for constraining their star formation histories. This study has been traditionally restricted to the optical range, where dwarfs around the turn-off and stars at the base of the red giant branch dominate the integrated light at all ages. The near

The surface abundance of lithium on the Sun is 140 times less than the protosolar value, yet the temperature at the base of the surface convective zone is not hot enough to burn-and hence deplete-Li (refs 2, 3). A large range of Li abundances is observed in solar-type stars of the same age, mass and metallicity as the Sun, but such a range is

The discovery of very high energy (VHE) gamma-ray emitting X-ray binaries has triggered an intense effort to better understand the particle acceleration, absorption, and emission mechanisms in compact binary systems, which provide variable conditions along eccentric orbits. Despite this, the nature of some of these systems, and of the accelerated

Based on a 5ks Chandra ACIS-I observation of M31 on Nov 11 2009, we report a dramatic brightening of CXOM31 J004321.1+411751, [aka r3-7 (Kong et al. 2002 ApJ 577, 738), source 437 (Pietsch, Freyberg, and Haberl 2005 A&A 434, 483), RX J0043.3+4117 (Supper et al. 2001 A&A 373, 63)]. The spectrum on Nov 11 can be well fit with a power law with photon