Context. Knowledge of the mass function in open clusters constitutes one way to critically examine the formation mechanisms proposed to explain the existence of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. Aims: The aim of the project is to determine as accurately as possible the shape of the mass function across the stellar/substellar boundary in the young (5

Context. There is a continuing debate as to the form of the outer disc of the Milky Way galaxy, which has important implications for understanding the Galaxy's formation. Stars are known to exist at a galacto-centric distance of at least 20 kpc. However, there is much debate as to whether these stars can be explained as part of the disc or whether

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Very high energy (VHE) γ-ray emission from the flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ) PKS 1222+21 (4C 21.35, z = 0.432) was detected with the MAGIC Cherenkov telescopes during a short observation (~0.5 hr) performed on 2010 June 17. The MAGIC detection coincides with high-energy MeV/GeV γ-ray activity measured by the Large Area Telescope (LAT) on board

The high-resolution (R ~ 600) Spitzer/IRS spectrum of the bipolar protoplanetary nebula (PN) IRAS 17423-1755 is presented in order to clarify the dominant chemistry (C-rich versus O-rich) of its circumstellar envelope as well as to constrain its evolutionary stage. The high-quality Spitzer/IRS spectrum shows weak 9.7 μm absorption from amorphous