The stellar initial mass function (IMF) is a fundamental ingredient in stellar population synthesis models and for decades it was considered to be universal. However, the universality of the IMF has been recently challenged by detailed stellar population modeling of massive early-type galaxies. I this talk I will present our recent efforts within

We present a search for RR Lyrae stars using the full six-year data set from the Dark Energy Survey covering ∼5000 deg 2 of the southern sky. Using a multistage multivariate classification and light-curve template-fitting scheme, we identify RR Lyrae candidates with a median of 35 observations per candidate. We detect 6971 RR Lyrae candidates out

We investigate higher order symplectic integration strategies within Bayesian cosmic density field reconstruction methods. In particular, we study the fourth-order discretization of Hamiltonian equations of motion (EoM). This is achieved by recursively applying the basic second-order leap-frog scheme (considering the single evaluation of the EoM)

The flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) PKS 1510‒089 is known for its complex multiwavelength behaviour and it is one of only a few FSRQs detected in very-high-energy (VHE, E > 100 GeV) γ rays. The VHE γ-ray observations with H.E.S.S. and MAGIC in late May and early June 2016 resulted in the detection of an unprecedented flare, which revealed, for

We present results of our analysis of up to 15 yr of photometric data from eight AM CVn systems with orbital periods between 22.5 and 26.8 min. Our data have been collected from the GOTO, ZTF, Pan-STARRS, ASAS-SN, and Catalina all-sky surveys and amateur observations collated by the AAVSO. We find evidence that these interacting ultracompact

Hydrodynamic escape is the most efficient atmospheric mechanism of planetary mass loss and has a large impact on planetary evolution. Three hydrodynamic escape regimes have been identified theoretically: energy-limited, recombination-limited, and photon-limited. However, no evidence of these regimes had been reported until now. Here, we report