Context. In the near-infrared (NIR) region, a large number of absorption features may be used to constrain the properties of unresolved stellar populations of galaxies. Aims. We present the results of a pilot project assessing the feasibility of measuring the distribution and radial trends of NIR line-strength indices on spatially resolved spectra

Context. Galaxy clusters selected based on overdensities of galaxies in photometric surveys provide the largest cluster samples. However, modeling the selection function of such samples is complicated by noncluster members projected along the line of sight (projection effects) and the potential detection of unvirialized objects (contamination)

Understanding the properties, formation, and evolutionary path of high- mass star systems is a fundamental research topic in stellar astrophysics. Under certain conditions, massive binaries form gravitationally bound compact objects capable of merging in less than the age of the Universe, producing gravitational waves detectable by observatories

In this roadmap article, we consider the main challenges and recent breakthroughs in understanding the role of carbon molecular nanostructures in space and propose future avenues of research. The focus lies on small carbon-containing molecules up to fullerenes, extending to even larger, more complex organic species. The roadmap contains forty

Context. In solar-like oscillators, acoustic waves are excited by turbulent motion in the convective envelope and propagate inward, generating a variety of standing pressure modes (p modes). When combining the power of several solar acoustic modes, some studies have reported an excess that is not compatible with pure stochastic excitation. This

Red supergiant (RSG) stars represent the final evolutionary phase of the majority of massive stars and hold a unique role in testing the physics of stellar models. Eighty-eight RSGs in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) were recently found to have an ultraviolet (UV) excess, which was attributed to a B-type companion. We present follow-up Hubble