The best spectrographs are limited in stability by their calibration light source. Laser frequency combs are the ideal calibrators for astronomical spectrographs. They emit a spectrum of lines that are equally spaced in frequency and that are as accurate and stable as the atomic clock relative to which the comb is stabilized. Absolute calibration

In order to obtain empirical information on the magnetism of the solar transition region we need to measure and interpret the linear polarization produced by scattering processes in FUV and EUV spectral lines. Via the Hanle effect such linear polarization signals are sensitive to the magnetic fields expected for the quiet and active regions of the

Las estrellas simbióticas juegan un papel fundamental en la comprensión de las últimas etapas evolutivas de los sistemas binarios aportando información clave sobre una variedad de procesos físicos tales como la pérdida, transferencia y acreción de masa, y los estallidos termonucleares en estrellas compactas. Las estrellas simbióticas son probables

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is among the largest pools of reduced carbon on Earth's surface. Its molecular structure and the reasons behind its stability in the aquatic environment are unknown. We present a mathematical model that predicts essential molecular features of refractory dissolved organic matter in fresh- and seawater. The model has

We examine the effect of circumstellar dust extinction on the near-IR (NIR) contribution of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in intermediate-age clusters throughout the disk of M100. For our sample of 17 AGB-dominated clusters we extract optical-to-mid-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and find that NIR brightness is coupled to the mid-IR

Black hole X-ray binaries with large mass ratios and short orbital periods are expected to change their orbital period due to magnetic breaking, mass loss, gravitational radiation, or mass evaporation of the black hole in alternative descriptions of gravity, like in braneworld gravity scenarios. The black hole X-ray binary XTE J1118+480, consisting