An AGB star in a binary system is likely to pollute its companion with carbon- and s-process-rich matter. After the AGB star has faded into an unconspicuous white dwarf, the polluted companion enters the zoo of stars with chemical peculiarities. In this paper, the progeny of AGB stars in binary systems are identified among existing spectroscopic classes (Abell 35-like, binary post-AGB, WIRRing, dwarf Ba and C, subgiant CH, Ba, CH, S, yellow symbiotics) and their filiation is discussed from the properties of their eccentricity – period diagrams.

Brown dwarfs are intermediate objects between planets and stars. The lower end of the brown-dwarf mass range overlaps with the one of massive planets and therefore the distinction between planets and brown-dwarf companions may require to trace the individual formation process. We present results on new potential brown-dwarf companions of Sun-like stars, which were discovered using CORALIE radial-velocity measurements. By combining the spectroscopic orbits and Hipparcos astrometric measurements, we have determined the orbit inclinations and therefore the companion masses for many of these systems. This has revealed a mass range between 25 and 45 Jupiter masses almost void of objects, suggesting a possible dividing line between massive planets and sub-stellar companions.

Jets are produced by young stellar objects (YSOs), by black hole binary star system “microquasars” (μQSOs), by active galactic nuclei (AGN), are associated with neutron stars and pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe), and are thought responsible for the gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). An understanding of these outflows must include how they are launched and collimated into jets, and how they propagate to large distances. Jets be they Poynting flux and/or kinetic flux dominated are current driven (CD) and/or Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) velocity shear driven unstable. Here I present some of the work that is leading to a better understanding of the properties required for the observed relative stability of astrophysical jets.

This paper is concerned with a meteoroid shape estimation technique based on statistical laws of distribution for fragment masses. The idea is derived from the experiments that show that brittle fracturing produces multiple fragments of size lesser than or equal to the least dimension of the body. The number of fragments depends on fragment masses as a power law with exponential cutoff. The scaling exponent essentially indicates the initial form of the fragmented body. We apply the technique of scaling analysis to the empirical data on the mass distributions for Košice, Almahata Sitta and Bassikounou meteorites.

Knowing the distance of an astrophysical object is key to understanding it. However, at present, comparisons of theory and observations are hampered by precision (or lack thereof) in distance measurements or estimates. Putting the many recent results and new developments into the broader context of the physics driving cosmic distance determination is the next logical step, which will benefit from the combined efforts of theorists, observers and modellers working on a large variety of spatial scales, and spanning a wide range of expertise. IAU Symposium 289 addressed the physics underlying methods of distance determination across the Universe, exploring the various approaches employed to define the milestones along the road. The meeting provided an exciting snapshot of the field of distance measurement, offering not only up-to-date results and a cutting-edge account of recent progress, but also full discussion of the pitfalls encountered and the uncertainties that remain. One of the meeting's main aims was to provide a roadmap for future efforts in this field, both theoretically and observationally.

Recent precise observations of the microwave and submillimeter cosmic background radiation are summarized, including rocket experiments, the FIRAS (Far InfraRed Absolute Spectrophotometer) on the COBE, CN results, and microwave measurements. Theoretical implications are summarized.

We discuss the role of mass loss for the evolution of the most massive stars, highlighting the role of the predicted bi-stability jump that might be relevant for the evolution of rotational velocities during or just after the main sequence. This mechanism is also proposed as an explanation for the mass-loss variations seen in the winds from Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs). These might be relevant for the quasi-sinusoidal modulations seen in a number of recent transitional supernovae (SNe), as well as for the double-throughed absorption profile recently discovered in the Hα line of SN 2005gj. Finally, we discuss the role of metallicity via the Z-dependent character of their winds, during both the initial and final (Wolf-Rayet) phases of evolution, with implications for the angular momentum evolution of the progenitor stars of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).

The optical resolution in recent eclipse photographs is now sufficient to illustrate clearly many qualitative features of gas-magnetic field interactions in the solar corona. Close to the Sun where the field is strong, the coronal gas over certain regions of the solar surface can be contained within closed loop structures. However, since the field strength in these regions declines outward rapidly, the pressure and inertial forces of the solar wind eventually dominate and distend the field outward into interplanetary space. The overall configuration is determined by a complex interplay of inertial, pressure, gravitational, and magnetic forces. The present work is oriented toward the understanding of this interaction.

Of central importance to this general problem is the typical ‘helmet’ streamer generally overlying a large diffuse bipolar region on the solar surface. A helmet streamer consists of closed magnetic loops near the Sun and open field lines adjacent to and above the loops. The configuration possesses a ‘cusp-type’ neutral point (to be differentiated from a y-type neutral point) at the top of the closed loops. In addition to volume currents, a single sheet current separates the regions of opposite polarity above the neutral point. Below the neutral point, sheet currents also are present between the open and closed regions. These sheet currents are necessary to support the discontinuity in gas pressure which arises since the open region is expanding and the closed region is not. The neutral point problem is discussed in some detail and sample numerical examples are presented.

It would be a mistake to think that the density wave theories of spiral structure have reached the maturity where they can make unconditional predictions which can be tested. On the contrary, they are still very dependent on observations for help and guidance.

The OPAL opacity effort was undertaken in 1985 in response to speculation that the existing opacity data were not of sufficient accuracy to model observed stellar properties. We have taken the view that a completely new code with improved equation of state, atomic physics and line broadening was required. It was apparent that the most computationally intensive part of the calculations would be to obtain the vast amount of atomic data needed for the bound-bound and bound-free absorption cross-sections. To meet this challenge we developed a parametric potential method, that was fast enough to allow on-line calculations, while achieving accuracy comparable to that of the single-configuration Dirac-Fock method. This on-line capability was also chosen to allow flexibility to study the effect of various coupling and data averaging methods. It also makes it easy to study the effect of adding more elements.

The OPAL equation of state is based on the many-body statistical mechanics of partially ionized plasmas in the grand canonical ensemble. This is the so-called “physical picture” method. In this approach one works directly with the electrons and nuclei present in the plasma. The effect of the plasma environment on the internal states is obtained directly from the statistical mechanical analysis. A convergent partition function is a natural consequence of this approach.

OPAL includes degeneracy and plasma collective effects in the free-free absorption using a screened form of the parametric potentials. Similar corrections to the Thomson scattering are obtained from the method of Boercker (1987). The spectral line broadening for one, two and three electrons ions are obtained from a suite of codes provided by R.W. Lee (1988) that include linear Stark theory. For all other transitions we use Voigt profiles where the Gaussian width is due to Doppler broadening and the Lorentz width is due to the natural width plus fits to the electron impact collision width (Dimitrievic and Konjevic 1980).

Major advances in our understanding of the Universe have historically come from dramatic improvements in our ability to accurately measure astronomical quantities. The astrometric observations obtained by modern digital sky surveys are enabling unprecedentedly massive and robust studies of the kinematics of the Milky Way. For example, the astrometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), together with half a century old astrometry from the Palomar Observatory Sky Survey (POSS), have enabled the construction of a catalog that includes absolute proper motions as accurate as 3 mas/year for about 20 million stars brighter than V=20, and for 80,000 spectroscopically confirmed quasars which provide exquisite error assessment. We discuss here several ongoing studies of Milky Way kinematics based on this catalog. The upcoming next-generation surveys will maintain this revolutionary progress. For example, we show using realistic simulations that the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will measure proper motions accurate to 1 mas/year to a limit 4 magnitude fainter than possible with SDSS and POSS catalogs, or with the Gaia survey. LSST will also obtain geometric parallaxes with accuracy similar to Gaia's at its faint end (0.3 mas at V=20), and extend them to V=24 with an accuracy of 3 mas. We discuss the impact that these LSST measurements will have on studies of the Milky Way kinematics, and potential synergies with the Gaia survey.

We report on the distribution of metallicities, [Fe/H], for very metal-poor stars in the halo of the Galaxy. Although the primary information on the nature of the Metallicity Distribution Function (MDF) is obtained from the two major recent surveys for metal-poor stars, the HK survey of Beers and collaborators, and the Hamburg/ESO Survey of Christlieb and collaborators, we also discuss the MDF derived from the publicly available database of stellar spectra and photometry contained in the third data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS DR-3). Even though the SDSS was not originally planned as a stellar survey, significant numbers of stars have been observed to date – DR-3 contains spectroscopy for over 70,000 stars, at least half of which are suitable for abundance determinations. There are as many very metal-poor ([Fe/H] $< -2.0$) stars in DR-3 as have been obtained from all previous survey efforts combined. We also discuss prospects for significant expansion of the list of metal-poor stars to be obtained from the recently funded extension of the SDSS, which includes the project SEGUE: Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Evolution.

Dawn is the first mission to attempt to orbit two distant planetary bodies. The objects chosen, 4 Vesta followed by 1 Ceres, are the two most massive members of the asteroid belt that appear to have been formed on either side of the dew line in the early solar nebula. This paper describes the present status of the mission development and the plans for operation at Vesta and Ceres.

The isophotal surfaces of central bulges of normal spirals, often described as ‘spheroidal’, are shown to depart from ellipsoids of revolution and to resemble MacLaurin or Jacobi spheroids with zonal distortion; two typical examples, NGC 4565, 5746, are illustrated. Weaker examples are NGC 2683, 4594 and 891. Stronger examples are NGC 7332 and 128.

The true nucleus of an ordinary spiral is at most a very small object (~ 10 pc) resolved only in the nearest galaxies. The apparently larger nuclei seen in more distant spirals and lenticulars, in particular the so-called N-types, are probably artifacts due to insufficient resolution. It is possible that even in M31 the small ‘nucleus’ is merely the seeing-convolved image of the central peak in the r1/4 luminosity distribution of the spheroidal component.

In the nearest barred lenticulars and early spirals each large ellipsoidal ‘nucleus’ (~ 1.0 × 1.5 kpc) in the centre of the bar or central lens is found to include a second bar and inner nucleus on a smaller scale, in the approximate ratio of the corresponding Jeans' lengths. This is illustrated by high resolution photographs of NGC 1291; another example is NGC 1326.

Since civilizations face always problems that require continuously greater activity, it is likely that supercivilizations will undertake activities and construct structures of a very large scale. Properties and means of detections of such superstructures and activities are discussed. We also examine six possible scenarios on the evolution of civilizations.

ARCONS, the Array Camera for Optical to Near-infrared Spectrophotometry, was recently commissioned at the coudé focus of the 200-inch Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory. At the heart of this unique instrument is a 1024-pixel Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID), exploiting the Kinetic Inductance effect to measure the energy of the incoming photon to better than several percent. The ground-breaking instrument is lens-coupled with a pixel scale of 0″.23/pixel, each pixel recording the arrival time (< 2 μ sec) and energy of a photon (~10%) in the optical to near-IR (0.4–1.1 microns) range. The scientific objectives of the instrument include the rapid follow-up and classification of transient phenomena.

The raw data produced by the European Space Agency's astrometry satellite HIPPARCOS – mainly photon counts from the primary detector (IDT) and star mappers – will be analysed in full by two independent reduction consortia, FAST and NDAC. The aim is however to generate, by 1993, a single catalogue of positions, proper motions, and parallaxes for the 105 programme stars, with additional information on photometry, multiple stars, and minor planets. This review outlines some practical and theoretical features of the data reductions.

Young massive star-forming regions are known to produce hot molecular gas cores (HMCs) with a rich chemistry. While this chemistry is interesting in itself, it also allows to investigate important physical parameters. I will present recent results obtained with high-angular-resolution interferometers disentangling the small-scale structure and complexity of various molecular gas components. Early attempts to develop a chemical evolutionary sequence are discussed. Furthermore, I will outline the difficulty to isolate the right molecular lines capable to unambiguously trace potential massive accretion disks.

In this work, one intends to computationally simulate and investigate, via thermochemical calculations, how the chemical environment influences some molecular properties, such as IR spectra and absorption cross section, of individual species embedded in the solid phase employing the Polarized Continuum Model (PCM) approach. The trial molecules used here to check these effects are CO, CO2 and H2O. The solid phase (bulk ice) is simulated using different dielectric constant values representing different types of astrophysical ice at PCM approach. The effect of temperature is also investigated since it is known it affects the dielectric constant of the solvent medium.

An all-sky list of 88 nearby dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies with distances $D < 10$ Mpc is considered. Most of the objects have recently been found by Karachentseva & Karachentsev based on POSSII/ESO-SERC survey. A hundred more dSph galaxies are expected in this volume, being missed so far because of their low luminosity and low surface brightness. Apart from 22 dSph members of the Local Group, there are 33 dSphs in other nearby groups that have been resolved recently into stars with HST. Only 5% of the local dSphs are situated outside the known groups.

We discuss observational correlation between basic parameters of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies, in particular, absolute magnitude, surface brightness, metallicity, and so-called “tidal index”. The observed number of dSphs in group increases with luminosity of its brightest galaxy. In a “synthetic” nearby group, dwarf spheroidal galaxies are distributed in depth quite symmetrically about the principal galaxy, having an rms distance scatter of 200 kpc. Projected radial distribution of dSphs in the synthetic group follows the profile $N(R) ~ exp(-R/200$ kpc).