The combination of far-IR and UV-optical rest-frame data has proved to be very efficient to extract physical parameters from the SEDs of galaxies. Using Herschel and ancillary data from the Herschel Reference Survey and GOODS-Herschel Key Projects, we show how dust attenuation properties can be estimated inside local galaxies as well as in the distant Universe.

We summarize recent efforts from our group to constrain the nature of both stars in the Eta Carinae binary system and its orbital parameters by studying the influence of the companion star on the spectrum of the primary star. We find that the cavity in the dense wind of the primary star strongly affects multi-wavelength diagnostics such as the ultraviolet spectrum, the optical hydrogen lines, and the shape of the near-infrared continuum region. These diagnostics have been previously interpreted as requiring a latitude-dependent wind generated by a fast-rotating primary star, but the effects of the companion on them provide tenuous evidence that the primary star is a rapid rotator.

We present results of the simulation of a magneto-rotational supernova explosion. We show that, due to the differential rotation of the collapsing iron core, the magnetic field increases with time. The magnetic field transfers angular momentum and a MHD shock wave forms. This shock wave produces the supernova explosion. The explosion energy computed in our simulations is 0.5-2.5 ċ 1051erg. We used two different equations of state for the simulations. The results are rather similar.

Results of a high-speed photometric study of dwarf novæ in the Catalina Real-time Transient Survey are given. A population of faint dwarf novæ near the orbital period minimum is detected. At the shortest periods there is a correlation between orbital period and outburst interval.

We estimate distances to the spherical planetary nebula Abell 39 and the bipolar planetary nebula NGC 7027 by interpolating from a wide grid of photoionization models using the 3-D code, MOCASSIN. We find preliminary distances of 1.5 kpc and 0.9 kpc respectively, with uncertainties of about 30%.

Our project, ‘MegaMorph’, is developing a next-generation tool for decomposing galaxies, in terms of both their structures and stellar populations. By combining data from UV to NIR wavelengths, accounting for morphological peculiarities using non-parametric components, and utilising efficient likelihood sampling methods, we are working to significantly improve the robustness and accuracy of galaxy decomposition. Applying these new techniques to modern large surveys will provide us with a deeper understanding of galaxies.

The Be stars are still a big unknown in respect to the origin and geometry of the circumstellar disk around the star. Program shellspec is designed to solve the simple radiative transfer along the line of sight in three-dimensional moving media. Our goal was to develop an effective method to search in parameter space, which can allow us to find a good estimate of the physical parameters of the disk. We also present here our results for Be star 60 Cyg using the modified code.

In order to determine the emission height of the optical photons from pulsars we present an inverse mapping approach, which is directly constrained by empirical data. The model discussed is for the case of the Crab pulsar. Our method, which uses the optical Stokes parameters, determines the most likely geometry for emission including the magnetic-field inclination angle (α), the observer's line-of-sight angle (χ) and emission height. We discuss the computational implementation of the approach, and the physical assumptions made. We find that the most likely emission altitude is at 20% of the light-cylinder radius above the stellar surface in the open field region.

We investigated influence of stellar oscillations on the electrodynamics of pulsars as well as magnetars magnetosphere. Besides finding noticeable modification of electromagnetic field and charge density in the polar cap vicinity of oscillating neutron stars we proposed qualitative hypotheses explaining phenomena of part time pulsars as well as sporadic radio emission from generally radio-quiet magnetars with the help of stellar oscillations.

The iron depletion factors found in Galactic planetary nebulae (PNe) span over two orders of magnitude, suggesting that there are differences in the grain formation and destruction processes from object to object. We explore here the relation between the iron depletions, the infrared dust features, and the C/O abundance ratios in a sample of Galactic PNe. We find that those objects with C/O<1 show a trend of increasing depletions for higher values of C/O, whereas PNe with C/O>1 break the trend and cover all the range of depletions. Most of the PNe with C/O<1 show silicate features, but several PNe with C-rich features have C/O<1, probably reflecting the uncertainties associated with the derivation of C/O. PAHs are distributed over the entire range of iron depletions and C/O values.

There is broad agreement that the stars which explode as Type Ia supernovae are white dwarfs. They have accreted material in a binary system until they are near the Chandrasekhar mass and detonate/deflagrate. The two main scenarios for this accretion process are merging with a companion white dwarf (double degenerate scenario), or accretion from a main-sequence to red giant donor (single degenerate scenario). The donor star survives post-explosion and would provide substantial evidence for the single degenerate scenario, if found. Our team is analyzing stars in close proximity to Galactic Type Ia remnants to find surviving donor stars. In my talk I will introduce the different progenitor systems and the expected state for a donor star today. I will outline our search using high resolution spectroscopy and will present updated results.

The Catalina Real-time Transient Survey (CRTS) currently covers 33,000 deg2 of the sky in search of transient astrophysical events, with time base-lines ranging from 10 minutes to ~7 years. Data provided by the Catalina Sky Survey provide an unequalled base-line against which > 4,000 unique optical transient events have been discovered and openly published in real-time. Here we highlight some of the discoveries of CRTS.

The remnants of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) can provide important clues about their progenitor histories. We discuss two well-observed supernova remnants (SNRs) that are believed to have resulted from SNe Ia, and use various tools to shed light on the possible progenitor histories. We find that Kepler's SNR is consistent with a symbiotic binary progenitor consisting of a white dwarf and an AGB star. Our hydrosimulations can reproduce the observed kinematic and morphological properties. For Tycho's remnant we use the characteristics of the X-ray spectrum and kinematics to show that the ejecta has likely interacted with dense circumstellar gas.

We present a theoretical study that quantifies the effect of dust on the derived Sérsic indexes of disks and bulges. The changes in the derived parameters from their intrinsic values (as seen in the absence of dust) were obtained by fitting Sérsic distributions on simulated images of disks and bulges produced using radiative transfer calculations and the model of Popescu et al. (2011). We found that dust has the effect of lowering the measured Sérsic index in most cases, with stronger effects for disks and bulges seen through more optically thick lines of sight.

The Kepler Observatory offers unprecedented photometric precision (<1 mmag) and cadence for monitoring the central stars of planetary nebulae, allowing the detection of tiny periodic light curve variations, a possible signature of binarity. With this precision free from the observational gaps dictated by weather and lunar cycles, we are able to detect companions at much larger separations and with much smaller radii than ever before. We have been awarded observing time to obtain light-curves of the central stars of the six confirmed and possible planetary nebulae in the Kepler field, including the newly discovered object Kn 61, at cadences of both 30 min and 1 min. Of these six objects, we could confirm for three a periodic variability consistent with binarity. Two others are variables, but the initial data set presents only weak periodicities. For the central star of Kn 61, Kepler data will be available in the near future.

Atmospheric parameters of the Galactic early B-supergiant HD 198478 (55 Cyg) were determined from the UV silicon lines and optical Balmer Hδ 4101 Å line. TLUSTY synthetic spectra were broadened using the ROTIN numerical code in order to determine effective temperature, surface gravity, rotational and macroturbulent velocity.

The Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP) has performed, during the period 2004-2009, the optical and NIR follow up of 253 supernovae (SNe) of all types. Among those, 124 were core collapse events, comprising 93 SNe of type II and 31 of types Ib/Ic/IIb. Our follow up consisted of photometric observations suitable to build detailed light curves and a considerable amount of optical spectroscopy.

The bulk of our observations is carried out at Las Campanas Observatory, while access to other facilities is also provided thanks to our strong collaboration with the Millennium Center for Supernova Studies (MCSS).

Our spectroscopic observations were primarily aimed at typing possible new SNe, and follow-up the evolution of CSP targets. One of the goals of the follow-up of type II SNe is the application of independent distance indicators such as the Standard Candle (SCM) and the Expanding Photosphere (EPM) methods. Moreover, through the study of the spectroscopic evolution of these objects, from as early as possible after explosion to the nebular phases, we hope to contribute to their further understanding. Specific analysis of particular objects is underway by members of the CSP and an extended collaboration.

During the past 20 years, the idea that non-spherical planetary nebulae might need a binary or planetary interaction to be shaped was discussed by various authors. It is now generally agreed that the varied morphologies of planetary nebulae cannot be fully explained solely by single star evolution. Observationally, more binary central stars of planetary nebulae have been discovered, opening new possibilities to understand the connections between binarity and morphology. So far, ≃45 binary central stars of planetary nebulae have been detected, most being close systems detected via flux variability. In order to determine the PN binary fraction, one needs a method that can detect wider binaries. We present here recent results concentrating on binary infrared excess observations aimed at detecting binaries of any separation.

We investigated the ionization structure of symbiotic binaries during their active phases. We found that a neutral disk-like zone around the hot star can be created as a result of its enhanced wind and fast, 200 - 300 km s−1, rotation. Calculated column densities of the neutral hydrogen atoms throughout the neutral zone and emission measures of the ionized part of the wind from the hot star are in a good agreement with those derived from observations.

We present a new database of absorption and emission-line measurements based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) 7th data release of galaxies within a redshift of 0.2. Using the publicly available penalized pixel-fitting (pPXF) and gas and absorption line fitting (gandalf) codes, our work improve the existing measurements for stellar kinematics, the strength of various absorption line features, and the flux and width of the emissions from different species of ionised gas. Most notable of our work is that, we provide quality of the fit to assess reliability of the measurements. The quality assessment can be highly effective for finding new classes of objects. For example, based on the quality assessment around the Ha and [NII] nebular lines, we found approximately 1% of the SDSS spectra which classified as galaxies by the SDSS pipeline are in fact type I Seyfert AGN. This paper presents a summary of the recent paper, Oh et al.(2011). The database is publicly available at http://gem.yonsei.ac.kr/ossy/.