LIRIS is a near-infrared (1-2.5 microns) intermediate resolution spectrograph (R=1000-3000) with added capabilities for multi-slit, imaging, coronography, and polarimetry, built by the IAC as a common instrument for the 4.2m WHT (La Palma, Spain). LIRIS has been used as a visiting astronomer instrument at the WHT since summer 2004. The image

We give an overview over the different techniques to detect planets in other stars. A special emphasis is given to the transit method and the French/European CoRoT project, which will be the first space mission with a major dedication to the study the extrasolar planets.

The first large release of data from the UKIDSS ESO public survey took place in July 2006. The size of the data set is about 7% of the size of the final survey data set. Early science results are presented here, ranging from the nearest coolest brown dwarfs, to the most luminous, rarest, galaxies at 5 z 6. Progress on the headline science goals

Phase-resolved VLT spectroscopy of the bursting low-mass X-ray binaries 4U 1636-536/V801 Ara and 4U 1735-444/V926 Sco is presented. Doppler images of the NIII λ4640 Bowen transition reveal compact spots which we attribute to fluorescent emission from the donor star and enable us to define a new set of spectroscopic ephemerides. We measure Kem = 277

Aims.We have performed optical polarimetric observations of the SN 2006aj associated to the X-ray flash (XRF) of February 18, 2006, XRF 060218 that provide information on its expansion geometry. Methods: .The data were acquired in the R-band with the 0.7 m telescope of Crimea, 2.5 m Nordic Optical Telescope and the 2.2 m of Calar Alto. Results: .We

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