We demonstrate that low-resolution CaII triplet (CaT) spectroscopic estimates of the overall metallicity ([Fe/H]) of individual red giant branch (RGB) stars in two nearby dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) agree to +/-0.1-0.2 dex with detailed high-resolution spectroscopic determinations for the same stars over the range -2.5 [Fe/H] -0.5. For this

The data set presented here consists of 5 VLBI images at 86GHz taken with the Global mm VLBI Array (GMVA, and its predecessor, the CMVA) covering the time range from October 2001 to April 2004, and 34 Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) images taken at 43GHz from June 1997 to February 2007. Among these 34 images, 20 obtained from June 1997 to May 2002

We have observed 15 halo stars to determine the [C/O] behaviour at low [Fe/H]. Making use of our recent non-LTE calculations, which show that the high excitation C and O lines used in previous studies in the literature are affected by very significant departures from LTE, we aim to obtain accurate [C/O] ratios down to [Fe/H]˜ —3.2, which will

Doing research is fighting, what any other thing the human being could do? Fight against powers or to get powers, that depends on us. Science can be a revolution or deadlocked idleness. Still waters, without hitting the stones along their history, trend to form bogs.

In the present paper I want to tell of my impressions about the world of research in astrophysics, which I know from close observation. I see with certain pessimism the actual state of astrophysics, as well as of other sciences with similar problems. There are many charms in the profession, as many charms as in love, but not when they are in the

Synchrotron emission from jets produced by X-ray binaries can be detected at optical and infrared (IR) frequencies. I show that optical/IR colour-magnitude diagrams of the outbursts of nine X-ray binaries successfully separate thermal disc emission from non-thermal jet emission, in both black hole and neutron star sources. A heated single