We test the hypothesis that radio galaxies are a random subset of otherwise normal elliptical galaxies. Starting with the observed optical luminosity functions for elliptical galaxies, we show that the probability of an elliptical forming a radio source is a continuous, increasing function of optical luminosity, proportional to L2+/-0.4. With this

New visual light curves and infrared multi-epoch photometry are presented for a sample of AGB-stars spectroscopically observed with ISO. While the ISO work is or will be presented elsewhere, the aim of this paper is to give an overview of the properties of the light change of the objects. This information is crucial for the interpretation of the

Near-infrared spectroscopy was conducted to search for molecular material around 40 post-AGB stars. We present the detection of molecular emission lines of H2, 1-0S(1) at 2.122 microns and 2-1S(1) at 2.248 microns in 11 of the post-AGB observed. In addition, Brγ lines at 2.166 microns also were detected in these objects. To investigate the

Ionized gas and stellar kinematical parameters have been measured along the major axis of 20 nearby disc galaxies. We discuss the properties of each sample galaxy, distinguishing between those characterized by regular or peculiar kinematics. In early-type disc galaxies, ionized gas tends to rotate faster than stars and to have a lower velocity

We discuss several lines of evidence indicating that gas is flowing into the solar neighborhood and go on to offer a theoretical framework to explain this phenomenon, which is important for any model of the chemical and dynamical evolution of the Galaxy. We derive a theoretical age distribution for the G dwarf stars in the solar neighborhood that

The GRB010222 optical and near-infrared (NIR) afterglow was monitored at the TNG and other Italian telescopes starting ~ 1 day after the high-energy prompt event. The BVR light curves, which are the best sampled, are continuously steepening and can be described by two power laws, f(t) ~ t-alpha , of indices alpha1 ~ 0.7 and alpha2 ~ 1.3 before and