Context. Ground-based imaging and imaging spectropolarimetric data are often subjected to post-facto reconstruction techniques to improve the spatial resolution. Aims: We test the effects of reconstruction techniques on two-dimensional data to determine the best approach to improve our data. Methods: We obtained an 1-h time-series of

In July, the transient neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Aql X-1 was detected in outburst at X-ray, UV, optical and near-infrared wavelengths (ATel #2742, #2744, #2748). On 1st September the X-rays re-brightened (ATel #2850). Here we report on our ongoing optical monitoring campaign (ATel #1218, #1970, #2288) with the Faulkes Telescopes North and

One of the problems found in the design of the electronics for astronomical instruments is the difficulty to find precise digitizers (16 bits) at high speed. In fact, most of the chips which claim to have 16-bit actually have a lower ENOB (Effective Number Of Bits), normally around 14, when considering their noise effects. In this paper, a

Context: The physical interpretation of scattering line polarization offers a novel diagnostic window for exploring the thermal and magnetic structure of the quiet regions of the solar atmosphere. Aims: We evaluate the impact of isotropic collisions with neutral hydrogen atoms on the scattering polarization signals of the 13 lines of multiplet 42

The continuum and emission lines properties of a sample of 73 blazars is studied, investigating differences and similarities among normal low-polarization quasars (LPQ), radio-loud high polarized quasars (HPQ), and BL Lacertae objects (BLL). We found that at variance with LPQ, most HPQ have power law optical continua (fnu_{prop.to}νalpha^ ) with no

Aims: The knowledge of physical conditions in young radio sources is important for defining the framework of models describing radio source evolution. We investigate whether young radio sources are in equipartition (i.e. minimum energy) conditions by comparing the equipartition magnetic fields of 5 High Frequency Peakers (HFP) with values directly