We present long-slit optical spectra along the major axis of the planetary nebula NGC 7009. These data allow us to discuss the physical, excitation, and chemical properties of all the morphological components of the nebula, including its remarkable systems of knots and jets. The main results of this analysis are the following: (1) the electron

We present a detailed analysis of IC 4776, a planetary nebula displaying a morphology believed to be typical of central star binarity. The nebula is shown to comprise a compact hourglass-shaped central region and a pair of precessing jet-like structures. Time-resolved spectroscopy of its central star reveals a periodic radial velocity variability

PLATO 2.0 has recently been selected for ESA's M3 launch opportunity (2022/24). Providing accurate key planet parameters (radius, mass, density and age) in statistical numbers, it addresses fundamental questions such as: How do planetary systems form and evolve? Are there other systems with planets like ours, including potentially habitable planets

Extensive surveys of the Milky Way have provided a global view of the population of planetary nebulae in the Milky Way. Their chemical, dynamical, and morphological properties, the link with their red giant progenitors and white dwarf descendants, and the implications on our understanding of the chemical evolution of the Galaxy, are discussed.

The observed parameters of the young super star cluster M82-A1 and its associated compact H II region are here shown to indicate a low heating efficiency or immediate loss, through radiative cooling, of a large fraction of the energy injected by stellar winds and supernovae during the early evolution of the cluster. This implies a bimodal

We present the Pristine survey, a new narrow-band photometric survey focused on the metallicity-sensitive Ca H&K lines and conducted in the Northern hemisphere with the wide-field imager MegaCam on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope. This paper reviews our overall survey strategy and discusses the data processing and metallicity calibration