The POMME survey (Pixel Observations of M31 with MEgacam) monitored two fields in the disc of M31 using MegaCam at CFHT over a timespan of 2.5 months in three filters ( g', r', i'). Covering a large fraction of the disc of M31, it yields an unprecedented view on Cepheids, eclipsing binaries and microlensing events in M31. In this contribution we

The light-gathering capacity and resolving power of the 1.5-meter aperture GREGOR telescope will provide solar observations of the full Stokes vector with high temporal, spectral and spatial resolution. As one of the first-light instruments, the GREGOR Fabry-Perot Interferometer (GFPI) is well suited for observations with adaptive optics (AO)

FK Com (G5 III) is an ultrafast-rotating single yellow giant. It is the eponymous member of its class, and is suspected to have been a coalesced binary that has spun up. Here we present preliminary results from a multi-wavelength campaign we have carried out in April-May 2011. We observe the corona with X-rays with the high-resolution HETG

Magnetars are young neutron stars with very strong magnetic fields of the order of 1014-1015G. They are detected in our Galaxy either as soft γ-ray repeaters or anomalous X-ray pulsars. Soft γ-ray repeaters are a rare type of γ-ray transient sources that are occasionally detected as bursters in the high-energy sky. No optical counterpart to the γ

We derive self-consistent formalism for the description of multi-component partially ionized solar plasma, by means of the coupled equations for the charged and neutral components for an arbitrary number of chemical species, and the radiation field. All approximations and assumptions are carefully considered. Generalized Ohm's law is derived for

The atmospheric precipitable water vapour content (PWV) strongly affects astronomical observations in the infrared (IR). We have validated the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale numerical weather prediction (NWP) model as an operational forecasting tool for PWV. In the validation, we used atmospheric radiosounding data obtained