Dwarf galaxies (Mb>-18) are important because of their cosmological interest as tests of hierarchical theories. The formation of these galaxies is still an open question but red dwarf galaxies are preferentially located in high density environments, indicating that they are end-products of galaxy transformations in clusters. Deep spectroscopic

Galaxy formation models typically assume that the size and rotation speed of galaxy discs are largely dictated by the mass, concentration and spin of their surrounding dark matter haloes. Equally important, however, is the fraction of baryons in the halo that collect into the central galaxy, as well as the net angular momentum that they are able to

Near-Earth asteroid 161273 (1999 JU3) is the primary target of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's Hyabusa-2 sample return mission. This object is also considered a potential target for two other sample return missions: the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's OSIRISREx and the European Space Agency's Marco Polo- R. This asteroid

As part of a systematic effort to characterize the properties and progenitors of the most luminous planetary nebulae (PNe), we obtained a sample among the brightest PNe in two stellar systems of different metallicities: LMC (Z/Z⊙~0.5) and M31 (Z/Z⊙~1) by means of a combined effort with the VLT and the 10mGTC. Modelling of these data will allow us

Fossil groups (FGs) are galaxy systems with masses and X-ray haloes comparable to to those of groups and clusters of galaxies, but whose optical light is dominated by a single, large elliptical galaxy surrounded by much fainter companions. Their early assembly leaves enough time for L* galaxies to merge and makes FGs the oldest and most relaxed

The planetary nebulae (PNe) of M 31 are receiving considerable attention as probes of its structure and chemical evolution in a galactic environment that is putatively similar to the Milky Way. We have obtained deep spectra for about 30 luminous PNe in M 31's inner disk and beyond (R gal < 105 kpc). The entire ensemble of PNe exhibit O/H ~ 2/3