Related papers: Time-domain Studies of M31
The next decade of survey astronomy has the potential to transform our knowledge of variable stars. Stellar variability underpins our knowledge of the cosmological distance ladder, and provides direct tests of stellar formation and…
The determination of chemical abundances in star-forming galaxies and the study of their evolution on cosmological timescales are powerful tools for understanding galaxy formation and evolution. This contribution presents the latest results…
In this short survey of the applications of wide-field, multi-object spectroscopy to galaxy evolution, large-scale structure and cosmology, I interleave summaries of the general goals and state of play in these fields with specific examples…
The observable characteristics and subsequent evolution of young stellar populations is dominated by their massive stars. As our understanding of those massive stars and the factors affecting their evolution improves, so our interpretation…
Mid-infrared observations of the Andromeda galaxy, M31, obtained with the Infrared Array Camera on board the Spitzer Space Telescope, are presented. The image mosaics cover areas of approximate 3.7deg x 1.6deg and include the satellite…
In the present work we show a comprehensive comparison of our new stellar population synthesis MIUSCAT models with photometric data of globular clusters and early-type galaxies. The models compare remarkably well with the colours of Milky…
We report results from intensive monitoring of two fields on either side of M31,emphasizing microlensing involving stars and masses in M31. These results stem from the three-year VATT/Columbia survey of variability on 3d to 2m timescales.…
The last decade has seen enormous progress in understanding the structure of the Milky Way and neighboring galaxies via the production of large-scale digital surveys of the sky like 2MASS and SDSS, as well as specialized, counterpart…
Observations of star-forming galaxies in the distant Universe have confirmed the importance of massive stars in shaping galaxy emission and evolution. Distant stellar populations are unresolved, and the limited data available must be…
Using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope we have obtained deep high-resolution CCD images in V and I of a 28'x28' field in the outer disk of M 31 at ~ 116' from the center along the major axis to the south-west, and covering a range of…
In this paper we analyze the stellar populations present in M31 using nine sets of adjacent HST-NICMOS Camera 1 and 2 fields with galactocentric distances ranging from 2' to 20'. These infrared observations provide some of the highest…
The wide-field CCD camera at the CFH telescope was used to survey the giant stellar stream in the Andromeda galaxy, resolving stars down the red giant branch in M31 to I ~ 25, a magnitude deeper than our previous INT survey of this galaxy…
Significant advances in the discovery and characterization of the planetary systems of nearby stars can be accomplished with a moderate aperture high performance coronagraphic space mission that could be started in the next decade. Its…
Our Milky Way Galaxy is a typical large spiral galaxy, representative of the most common morphological type in the local Universe. We can determine the properties of individual stars in unusual detail, and use the characteristics of the…
Recent work has shown that Milky Way-mass galaxies display an incredible range of stellar halo properties, yet the origin of this diversity is unclear. The nearby galaxy M81 $-$ currently interacting with M82 and NGC 3077 $-$ sheds unique…
The GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer) Nearby Galaxies Survey is providing deep far-UV and near-UV imaging for a representative sample of galaxies in the local universe. We present early results for M51 and M101, from GALEX UV imaging and…
Although the proximity of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) offers an opportunity to understand how mergers affect galaxies, uncertainty remains about M31's most important mergers. Previous studies focused individually on the giant stellar stream…
The beginning of the 21st century marked the "modern era of galaxy surveys" in astronomy. Rapid innovation in observing technology, combined with the base built by galaxy catalogs and atlases dating back centuries, sparked an explosion of…
Surveys of the local and distant Universe are the means to test and improve our models of galaxy formation. Substantial successes in the models are evident, while there is also considerable recent progress in identifying what remains to be…
Wide binaries, particularly in large numbers and as free from selection biases as possible, constitute a largely overlooked tool for studying the Galaxy. The goal of this review is to highlight the potential inherent to large samples of…