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It has been generally accepted that the originators of the double star astronomy were Christian Mayer and William Herschel. We recovered the memory of the poorly known Italian astronomer Giovanni Battista Hodierna, who published the first catalogue of stellar binaries over a century before Mayer and Herschel. We analysed the fourth section of 1654 G. B. Hodierna's book ' De systemate orbis cometici deque admirandis coeli characteribus '. There, Hodierna listed a dozen pairs of stars whose identification with modern star names had been lost for centuries. To identify the pairs, we used Hodierna's Latin descriptions of location in constellations for all primary stars, ecliptic coordinates and angular separations to companions for some, and the Washington Double Star, Hipparcos , and Gaia catalogues. We were able to identify the twelve primaries and eleven multiple systems with companions, of which nine were double and two were triple. Besides, with up-to-date data, we confirmed that four systems are physically bound: Atlas and Pleione, |$\alpha ^{1,2}$| Lib, |$\nu ^{1,2}$| Dra, and |$\theta ^{1}$| Ori A, C, and D. The other seven pairs are alignments of very bright stars at different distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reanalyse the recent compilation of distance measurements to M87 by collecting the data from published literature. Different from the traditional statistical methods, based on the principle of minimum information loss, we use a robust most frequent value (MFV) procedure to estimate the distance to M87, irrespective of the Gaussian or non-Gaussian distributions. The MFV-based robust estimate for the M87 distance modulus is given by |$31.09^{+0.04}_{-0.03}$| (statistical) |$^{+0.05}_{-0.07}$| (systematic) mag corresponding to a 68.27 per cent confidence interval, whereas the result of combining the two uncertainties in quadrature is |$31.09^{+0.06}_{-0.08}$|  mag. We also construct the error distributions of M87 distance moduli values according to the weighted mean, median, and MFV, which is non-Gaussian. This demonstrates that the MFV method offers a more accurate and robust estimate of the distance to M87 compared to methods that depend on the unfulfilled assumption of Gaussianity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many accretion-powered pulsars rotate in magnetocentrifugal disequilibrium, spinning up or down secularly over multiyear intervals. The magnetic dipole moment μ of such systems cannot be inferred uniquely from the time-averaged aperiodic X-ray flux 〈 L (t)〉 and pulse period 〈 P (t)〉, because the radiative efficiency of the accretion is unknown and degenerate with the mass accretion rate. Here, we circumvent the degeneracy by tracking the fluctuations in the unaveraged time series L (t) and P (t) using an unscented Kalman filter, whereupon μ can be estimated uniquely, up to the uncertainties in the mass, radius, and distance of the star. The analysis is performed on Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations for 24 X-ray transients in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which have been monitored regularly for ∼16 yr. As well as independent estimates of μ, the analysis yields time-resolved histories of the mass accretion rate and the Maxwell stress at the disk–magnetosphere boundary for each star, and hence auto- and cross-correlations involving the latter two state variables. The inferred fluctuation statistics convey important information about the complex accretion physics at the disk–magnetosphere boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microlensing near macro-caustics is a complex phenomenon in which swarms of micro-images produced by micro-caustics form on both sides of a macro-critical curve. Recent discoveries of highly magnified images of individual stars in massive galaxy cluster lenses, predicted to be formed by these micro-image swarms, have stimulated studies on this topic. In this article, we explore microlensing near macro-caustics using both simulations and analytic calculations. We show that the mean total magnification of the micro-image swarms follows that of an extended source in the absence of microlensing. Micro-caustics join into a connected network in a region around the macro-critical line of a width proportional to the surface density of microlenses; within this region, the increase of the mean magnification toward the macro-caustic is driven by the increase of the number of micro-images rather than individual magnifications of micro-images. The maximum achievable magnification in micro-caustic crossings decreases with the mass fraction in microlenses. We conclude with a review of applications of this microlensing phenomenon, including limits to the fraction of dark matter in compact objects, and searches of Population III stars and dark matter subhalos. We argue that the discovered highly magnified stars at cosmological distances already imply that less than ∼ 10% of the dark matter may be in the form of compact objects with mass above ∼ 10 − 6 M ⊙ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globular cluster (GC) stars composed of pristine material, also known as first-generation (1G) stars, are not chemically homogeneous as they exhibit extended sequences in the chromosome map (ChM). Recent studies characterized 1G stars within the center of 55 Galactic GCs, revealing metallicity variations. Despite this progress, several unanswered questions persist, particularly concerning the link between the 1G metallicity spread and factors such as the radial distance from the cluster center or the host GC parameters. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the extended 1G sequence phenomenon is exclusive to old Galactic GCs with multiple populations. This work addresses these open issues, examining 1G stars in different environments. First, we combine Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and James Webb Space Telescope photometry of the GC 47 Tucanae to study 1G stars at increasing distances from the cluster center. We find that metal-rich 1G stars are more centrally concentrated than metal-poor ones, suggesting a metallicity radial gradient. Additionally, the two groups of 1G stars share similar kinematics. Since our analysis focuses on giant stars in the cluster center and M dwarfs in external fields, we discuss the possibility that the metallicity distribution depends on stellar mass. Subsequently, we analyze HST multi-band photometry of two simple-population clusters, NGC 6791 and NGC 1783, revealing elongated sequences in the ChM associated with metallicity variations. Finally, we investigate the 1G color distribution in 51 GCs, finding no connections with the host cluster parameters. These results shed light on the complex nature of 1G stars, providing insights into the GC formation environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. We conducted a follow-up study on the analysis of the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) mosaic in the high-latitude outer Galaxy presented in the first paper of this series. Here, we focus on the search for alignment between the magnetic field traced by dust, HI filaments, starlight optical linear polarisation, and linear depolarised structures (depolarisation canals) observed in low-frequency synchrotron polarisation. This alignment was previously found in several smaller fields observed with LOFAR, offering valuable insights into the nature of the interstellar medium and the 3D spatial distribution of the diffuse ionised medium. Aims. We aim to determine whether the alignment of the interstellar medium (ISM) phases observed through multiple tracers is a common occurrence or an exception. Additionally, in areas where depolarisation canals align with the magnetic field, we use starlight polarisation to constrain the distance to the structures associated with the observed canals. Methods. We employed the Rolling Hough Transform (RHT) and projected Rayleigh statistics (PRS) to identify and quantify the alignment between the different tracers. We used these tools to detect linear features in the data and quantify the significance of the orientation trends between pairs of tracers. Results. On the scale of the whole mosaic, we did not find any evidence of a universal alignment among the three tracers. However, in one particular area, the western region (Dec between 29° and 70° and RA between 7h44m and 9h20m), we do find a significant alignment between the magnetic field, depolarisation canals, and HI filaments. Based on this alignment, we used the starlight polarisation of stars with known parallax distances to estimate that the minimum distance to the structures observed by LOFAR in this region lies within the range of 200 to 240 pc. We associate these structures with the edge of the Local Bubble. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microlensing of stars in strongly lensed galaxies can lead to temporary extreme magnification factors (μ> 1000), enabling their detection at high redshifts. Following the discovery of Icarus, several stars at cosmological distances (z > 1) have been observed using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This emerging field of gravitational lensing holds promise to study individual high redshift stars. It also offers the opportunity to study the substructure in the lens plane with implications for dark matter models, as more lensed stars are detected and analysed statistically. Due to the computational demands of simulating microlensing at large magnification factors, it is important to develop fast and accurate analytical approximations for the probability of magnification in such extreme scenarios. In this study, we consider different macro-model magnification and microlensing surface mass density scenarios and study how the probability of extreme magnification factors depends on these factors. To achieve this, we created state-of-the-art large simulations of the microlensing effect in these scenarios. Through the analysis of these simulations, we derived analytical scaling relationships that can bypass the need for expensive numerical simulations. Our results are useful to interpret current observations of stars at cosmic distances which are extremely magnified and under the influence of microlenses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Spitzer instability leads to the formation of a black hole subsystem (BHSub) at the centre of a star cluster providing energy to luminous stars (LSs) and increasing their rate of evaporation. When the self-depletion time of the BHSub exceeds the evaporation time of the LSs, a dark star cluster (DSC) will appear. Using the nbody7 code, we performed a comprehensive set of direct N -body simulations over a wide range of initial conditions to study the pure effect of the top-heaviness of the initial mass function (IMF) on the formation of the DSC phase. In the Galactic tidal field, top-heavy IMFs lead to the fast evaporation of LSs and the formation of DSCs. Therefore, DSCs can be present even in the outer region of the Milky Way (MW). To successfully transition to the DSC phase, the MW Globular Clusters (GCs) must possess an initial black hole (BH) mass fraction of |$\widetilde {\mathit {M}}_\mathrm{BH}(0)\gt 0.05$|⁠. For star clusters with |$\widetilde {\mathit {M}}_\mathrm{BH}(0)\gt 0.08$|⁠ , the DSC phase will be created for any given initial density of the cluster and Galactocentric distance. The duration of the cluster's lifetime spent in the DSC phase shows a negative (positive) correlation with the initial density, and Galactocentric distance of the star cluster if |$\widetilde {\mathit {M}}_\mathrm{BH}(0)\le 0.12$| (⁠|$\widetilde {\mathit {M}}_\mathrm{BH}(0)\ge 0.15$|⁠). Considering the canonical IMF, it is unlikely for any MW GCs to enter the DSC phase. We discuss the BH retention fraction in view of the observed properties of the GCs of the MW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The given text appears to be a correction to a previous paper that examined the relationship between neutron star mass and dark matter accumulation within dark matter clumps. The authors identified an error in their code that resulted in distance measurements being given with respect to the Sun instead of the Galactic center. They corrected the distance values and found that the resulting plots changed, but the results and conclusions remained qualitatively similar. The document includes figures and graphs that illustrate the corrected analysis. [Extracted from the article]

We searched for OB-runaway stars inside supernova remnants (SNRs) as a pre-supernova binary companion. As the majority of massive stars are found in close binary systems, a runaway star ejected by the orbital energy after the supernova (SN) is expected to be found. Considering a binary mass fraction, q = 0.25−1.0, the runaway star is likely to have an OB spectral type. We selected 12 SNRs at Galactic longitudes 109°−189°. Using Gaia astrometry, we selected stars having consistent distances with those of the SNRs and showing a peculiar proper motion directed away from the central region of the SNRs. We also determined the radial distribution of the extinction towards the SNRs and estimated the spectral types of the OB-runaway candidates through Gaia and Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry. We found two candidates among 12 SNRs. By spectroscopic observations, Gaia DR3 195632152560621440 inside SNR G166.0 + 4.3 was found to be an evolved A3 type star that cannot be the pre-SN binary companion to the progenitor. Gaia DR3 513927750767375872 inside SNR HB 3 is the only OB-runaway candidate (2D space velocity of 33.3 ± 3.3 km s−1). Based on photometric study, the star can be an early B-type main-sequence star with a slightly higher extinction relative to the SNR; however, it might instead be an evolved A-type star at the same distance. The other 11 SNRs do not host an OB-runaway star within their central regions. Although the runaway search was performed in a large interval of distance and extinction, we also estimated distances to the SNRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stellar mergers and accretion events have been crucial in shaping the evolution of the Milky Way (MW). These events have been dynamically identified and chemically characterized using red giants and main-sequence stars. RR Lyrae (RRL) variables can play a crucial role in tracing the early formation of the MW since they are ubiquitous, old (t ≥ 10 Gyr) low-mass stars and accurate distance indicators. We exploited Data Release 3 of the GALAH survey to identify 78 field RRLs suitable for chemical analysis. Using synthetic spectra calculations, we determined atmospheric parameters and abundances of Fe, Mg, Ca, Y, and Ba. Most of our stars exhibit halo-like chemical compositions, with an iron peak around [Fe/H] ≈ −1.40, and enhanced Ca and Mg content. Notably, we discovered a metal-rich tail, with [Fe/H] values ranging from −1 to approximately solar metallicity. This sub-group includes almost 1/4 of the sample, it is characterized by thin disc kinematics and displays sub-solar α-element abundances, marginally consistent with the majority of the MW stars. Surprisingly, they differ distinctly from typical MW disc stars in terms of the s-process elements Y and Ba. We took advantage of similar data available in the literature and built a total sample of 535 field RRLs for which we estimated kinematical and dynamical properties. We found that metal-rich RRLs (1/3 of the sample) likely represent an old component of the MW thin disc. We also detected RRLs with retrograde orbits and provided preliminary associations with the Gaia–Sausage–Enceladus, Helmi, Sequoia, Sagittarius, and Thamnos stellar streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a search for Miras and long-period variables (LPVs) in M33 using griJHKS archival observations from the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope. We use multiband information and machine learning techniques to identify and characterize these variables. We recover ∼1300 previously discovered Mira candidates and identify ∼13 000 new Miras and LPVs. We detect for the first time a clear first-overtone pulsation sequence among Mira candidates in this galaxy. We use O-rich, fundamental-mode Miras in the LMC and M33 to derive a distance modulus for the latter of μ = 24.629 ± 0.046 mag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of a search for Miras and long-period variables (LPVs) in M33 using griJHKS archival observations from the Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope. We use multiband information and machine learning techniques to identify and characterize these variables. We recover ∼1300 previously discovered Mira candidates and identify ∼13 000 new Miras and LPVs. We detect for the first time a clear first-overtone pulsation sequence among Mira candidates in this galaxy. We use O-rich, fundamental-mode Miras in the LMC and M33 to derive a distance modulus for the latter of μ = 24.629 ± 0.046 mag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Stars that are found on the blue horizontal-branch (BHB) evolved from low-mass stars that have completed their core hydrogen-burning main sequence (MS) stage and undergone the helium flash at the end of their red giant phase. Hence, they are very old objects that can be used as markers in studying galactic structure and formation history. The fact that their luminosity is virtually constant at all effective temperatures also makes them good standard candles. Aims. We have compiled a catalogue of BHB stars with stellar parameters calculated from spectral energy distributions (SEDs) constructed using data from multiple large-scale photometric surveys. In addition, we update our previous Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) catalogue of BHB stars with parallax errors less than 20% by using the SED results to define the selection criteria. The purpose of these catalogues is to create a set of BHB star candidates with reliable stellar parameters. In addition, they provide a more complete full-sky catalogue with candidate objects found along the whole BHB from where RR-Lyrae are found on the instability strip to the extreme horizontal-branch (EHB). Methods. We selected a large dataset of Gaia Data Release 3 (DR3) objects based only on their position on the colour-magnitude diagram (CMD), along with the tangential velocity and parallax errors. The SEDs were then used to evaluate contamination levels in the dataset and derive optimised data quality acceptance constraints. This allowed us to extend the Gaia DR3 colour and absolute magnitude criteria further towards the EHB. The level of contamination found using SED analysis was confirmed by acquiring spectra using the Ondrejov Echelle spectrograph, attached to the Perek 2m telescope at the Astronomical Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Results. We present a catalogue of 9172 Galactic halo BHB candidate stars with atmospheric and stellar parameters calculated from synthetic SEDs. We also present an extended Gaia DR3-based catalogue of 22 335 BHB candidate stars with a wider range of effective temperatures and Gaia DR3 parallax errors of less than 20%. This represents an increase of 33% compared to the our 2021 catalogue, with a contamination level of 10%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black hole low-mass X-ray binaries (BH-LMXBs) are excellent observational laboratories for studying many open questions in accretion physics. However, determining the physical properties of BH-LMXBs necessitates knowing their distances. With the increased discovery rate of BH-LMXBs, many canonical methods cannot produce accurate distance estimates at the desired pace. In this study, we develop a versatile statistical framework to obtain robust distance estimates soon after discovery. Our framework builds on previous methods where the soft spectral state and the soft-to-hard spectral state transitions, typically present in an outbursting BH-LMXB, are used to place constraints on mass and distance. We further develop the traditional framework by incorporating general relativistic corrections, accounting for spectral/physical parameter uncertainties, and employing assumptions grounded in current theoretical and observational knowledge. We tested our framework by analysing a sample of 50 BH-LMXB sources using X-ray spectral data from the Swift /XRT, MAXI /GSC, and RXTE /PCA missions. By modelling their spectra, we applied our framework to 26 sources from the 50. Comparison of our estimated distances to previous distance estimates indicates that our findings are dependable and in agreement with the accurate estimates obtained through parallax and H  i absorption methods. Investigating the accuracy of our constraints, we have found that estimates obtained using both the soft and transition spectral information have a median uncertainty (1σ) of 20 per cent, while estimates obtained using only the soft spectral state spectrum have a median uncertainty (1σ) of around 50 per cent. Furthermore, we have found no instrument-specific biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new fine grid of non-linear convective pulsation models for the so-called 'bump Cepheids' is presented to investigate the Hertzprung progression (HP) phenomenon shown by their light and radial pulsation velocity curves. The period corresponding to the centre of the HP is investigated as a function of various model assumptions, such as the efficiency of superadiabatic convection, the mass–luminosity relation, and the metal and helium abundances. The assumed mass–luminosity relation is found to significantly affect the phenomenon but variations in the chemical composition as well as in the stellar mass (at fixed mass–luminosity relation) also play a key role in determining the value of the HP centre period. Finally, the predictive capability of the presented theoretical scenario is tested against observed light curves of bump Cepheids in the ESA Gaia data base, also considering the variation of the pulsation amplitudes and of the Fourier parameters R 21 and Φ21 with the pulsation period. A qualitative agreement between theory and observations is found for what concerns the evolution of the light curve morphology as the period moves across the HP centre, as well for the pattern in period–amplitude, period– R 21, and period–Φ21 planes. A larger sample of observed Cepheids with accurate light curves and metallicities is required in order to derive more quantitative conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Magellanic Cloud system represents a unique laboratory for study of both interacting dwarf galaxies and the ongoing process of the formation of the Milky Way and its halo. We focus on one aspect of this complex, three-body interaction – the dynamical perturbation of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) by the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and specifically potential tidal effects on the SMC's eastern side. Using Gaia astrometry and the precise radial velocities (RVs) and multielement chemical abundances from Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE-2) Data Release 17, we explore the well-known distance bimodality on the eastern side of the SMC. Through estimated stellar distances, proper motions, and RVs, we characterize the kinematics of the two populations in the bimodality and compare their properties with those of SMC populations elsewhere. Moreover, while all regions explored by APOGEE seem to show a single chemical enrichment history, the metallicity distribution function (MDF), of the 'far' stars on the eastern periphery of the SMC is found to resemble that for the more metal-poor fields of the western periphery, whereas the MDF for the 'near' stars on the eastern periphery resembles that for stars in the SMC Centre. The closer eastern periphery stars also show RVs (corrected for SMC rotation and bulk motion) that are, on average, approaching us relative to all other SMC populations sampled. We interpret these trends as evidence that the near stars on the eastern side of the SMC represent material pulled out of the central SMC as part of its tidal interaction with the LMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic dipole moment μ of an accretion-powered pulsar in magnetocentrifugal equilibrium cannot be inferred uniquely from time-averaged pulse period and aperiodic X-ray flux data, because the radiative efficiency η 0 of the accretion is unknown, as are the mass, radius, and distance of the star. The degeneracy associated with the radiative efficiency is circumvented if fluctuations of the pulse period and aperiodic X-ray flux are tracked with a Kalman filter, whereupon μ can be measured uniquely up to the uncertainties in the mass, radius, and distance. Here, the Kalman filter analysis is demonstrated successfully in practice for the first time on Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer observations of the X-ray transient SXP 18.3 in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), which is monitored regularly. The analysis yields μ = 8.0 − 1.2 + 1.3 × 10 30 G cm 3 and η 0 = 0.04 − 0.01 + 0.02 , compared to μ = 5.0 − 1.0 + 1.0 × 10 30 G cm 3 as inferred traditionally from time-averaged data assuming η 0 = 1. The analysis also yields time-resolved estimates of two hidden state variables, the mass accretion rate and the Maxwell stress at the disk–magnetosphere boundary. The success of the demonstration confirms that the Kalman filter analysis can be applied in the future to study the magnetic moments and disk–magnetosphere physics of accretion-powered pulsar populations in the SMC and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4U 1702−429, an atoll-type neutron star low-mass X-ray binary, was observed twice by the AstroSat /Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) and Large Area X-ray Proportional Counters (LAXPC-20) on 2018 April 27 and 2019 August 8. Persistent emission spectra of the source were well fitted with the model combination - constant × tbabs (thcomp × diskbb+powerlaw). The parameters obtained from the spectral analysis revealed the source to be in a hard spectral state during the observations. Time-resolved spectral analyses were performed on the three type I X-ray bursts detected from the source. Burst analysis showed that the source underwent a photospheric radius expansion. Consequently, the radius of the neutron star and distance to the source (with isotropic and anisotropic burst emission) were obtained as 12.65 |$\substack{+0.90\\-0.86}$| km and 6.92 |$\substack{+0.16\\-0.09}$| and 8.43 |$\substack{+0.20\\-0.10}$| kpc, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyze the photometric data in the Wide layer of the Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP) over ∼1200 deg2 to uncover new halo substructures beyond the distance, D ⊙ ∼ 30 kpc, from the Sun. For this purpose, we develop an isochrone filter for an old, metal-poor stellar system to extract the faint main-sequence stars at a range of distances. With this method, we detect not only the previously discovered substructures such as the Orphan Stream, but also a new overdensity toward Boötes at about D ⊙ ∼ 60 kpc and a new stream-like feature toward Pisces at around D ⊙ ∼ 60 kpc. It has been suggested that a small-scale overdensity exists in this direction of Pisces (the so-called Pisces Overdensity), but our results show that the overdensity is widely spread with a tidally elongated feature. Combining our results with the ongoing Hyper Suprime-Cam narrow-band survey and the near-future spectroscopic survey with Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) will allow us to place strong constraints on the origin of these halo substructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Homogeneous multiwavelength observations of classical Cepheids from the forthcoming Rubin-LSST have the potential to significantly contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary and pulsation properties of these pulsating stars. Updated pulsation models for classical Cepheid stars have been computed under various assumptions about chemical compositions, including relatively low metallicity (Z = 0.004 with Y = 0.25 and Z  = 0.008 with Y = 0.25), solar metallicity (Z  = 0.02 with Y  = 0.28), and supersolar metallicity environments (Z = 0.03 with Y = 0.28). From the predicted periods, intensity-weighted mean magnitudes, and colours, we have derived the first theoretical pulsation relations in the Rubin-LSST filters (ugrizy), including period–luminosity–colour, period–Wesenheit, and period–age–colour relations. We find that the coefficients of these relations are almost insensitive to the efficiency of superadiabatic convection but are significantly affected by the assumption of the mass–luminosity relation and the adopted chemical composition. Metal-dependent versions of these relations are also derived, representing valuable tools for individual distance determinations and correction for metallicity effects on the cosmic distance scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is a review of the book "De Mundi Recentioribus Phænomenis: Cosmologie et Science dans l’Europe des Temps Modernes, XVe – XVIIIe Siècles, Essais en l’Honneur de Miguel Ángel Granada." The book contains a bibliography of Miguel Ángel Granada's works and 19 essays on astronomy and science during the modern period. It is written in multiple languages, which may be challenging for readers. The review highlights essays on topics such as the relationship between astronomical events and Martin Luther's ideas, and Copernicus' debt to Islamic astronomy. The book is considered an important contribution to the understanding of the history of astronomy, but it is primarily intended for specialists. [Extracted from the article]

We present the results of a sensitive search for high-velocity gas in interstellar absorption lines associated with the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant (SNR). We examine high-resolution high signal-to-noise ratio optical spectra of six stars in the Cygnus Loop region with distances greater than ∼700 pc. All stars show low-velocity Na  i and Ca  ii absorption. However, only one star, HD 198301, exhibits high-velocity Ca  ii absorption components, at velocities of +62, +82, and  +96 km s−1. The distance to this star of ∼870 pc helps to constrain the distance to the receding edge of the Cygnus Loop's expanding shock front. One of our targets, HD 335334, was previously thought to exhibit high positive and high negative velocity interstellar Na  i and Ca  ii absorption. This was one factor leading Fesen et al. to derive a distance to the Cygnus Loop of 725 ± 15 pc. However, we find that HD 335334 is in fact a double-line spectroscopic binary and shows no evidence of high-velocity interstellar absorption. As such, the distance to HD 335334 cannot be used to constrain the distance to the Cygnus Loop. Our detection of Ca  ii absorption approaching 100 km s−1 toward HD 198301 is the first conclusive detection of high-velocity absorption from a low-ionization species associated with the Cygnus Loop SNR. A large jump in the Na  i column density toward BD+31 4218, a star located beyond the northwestern boundary of the Cygnus Loop, helps to constrain the distance to a large molecular cloud complex with which the Cygnus Loop is evidently interacting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic fields are a defining yet enigmatic aspect of the interstellar medium, with their three-dimensional (3D) mapping posing a substantial challenge. In this study, we harness the innovative velocity gradient technique (VGT), underpinned by magnetohydrodynamic turbulence theories, to map the magnetic field structure by applying it to the atomic neutral hydrogen (H  i) emission line and the molecular tracer 12CO. We construct the tomography of the magnetic field in the low-mass star-forming region L1688, utilizing two approaches: (1) VGT-H  i combined with the Galactic rotational curve, and (2) stellar polarization paired with precise star parallax measurements. Our analysis reveals that the magnetic field orientations deduced from stellar polarization undergo a distinct directional change in the vicinity of L1688, providing evidence that the misalignment between VGT-H  i and stellar polarization stems from the influence of the molecular cloud's magnetic field on the polarization of starlight. When comparing VGT-12CO to stellar polarization and Planck polarization data, we observe that VGT-12CO effectively reconciles the misalignment noted with VGT-H  i , showing statistical alignment with Planck polarization measurements. This indicates that VGT-12CO could be integrated with VGT-H  i , offering vital insights into the magnetic fields of molecular clouds, thereby enhancing the accuracy of our 3D magnetic field reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinematics of the ϵ Cha young stellar association close to the Sun has been studied based on a list of candidate stars from the Dickson-Vandervelde et al. work. The working sample consists of 26 stars with parallaxes, proper motions from the Gaia DR3 catalog and radial velocities taken from literary sources. The orbits of the stars back to the past were constructed, and the moment when the association had a minimum spatial size was determined, as well as an analysis of the dependencies of the velocities on the coordinates was carried out. It is shown that the initial sample is divided into two parts with different kinematic properties. The first sample included 9 stars. Based on the construction of the orbits of these 9 stars, an age estimate of million years was obtained. An expansion coefficient in the plane with the value km/s/kpc was also found for them, on the basis of which another age estimate Ma was obtained. The second sample included 17 stars. The construction of their orbits gave an estimate of age Ma, and based on the gradient 248 km/s/kpc, a second estimate of their age Ma was obtained. This suggests that the Cha association either consists of two groupings of different ages, or a younger one arose as a result of a recent outbreak of star formation within a common star system. The question of the gravitational connection of the groupings has not been considered in the framework of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical constraints are master keys for testing theoretical evolutionary model predictions. In massive stars, the region in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram (HRD) in which the Blue Supergiants (BSGs) are located sets several important constraints to the models, and in particular to the theoretical end of the main sequence (MS). So far, we are missing from a full quantitative spectroscopic analysis (QSA) of a sample of BSGs large enough to be statistically significant and without observational biases. We present results from a QSA of a sample of ∼700 Galactic BSGs for which we have high-resolution multi-epoch optical spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates a hypothesis proposed in previous research relating neutron star (NS) mass and its dark matter (DM) accumulation. As DM accumulates, NS mass decreases, predicting lower NS masses toward the Galactic centre. Due to limited NSs data near the Galactic centre, we examine NSs located within DM clumps. Using the CLUMPY code simulations, we determine the DM clumps distribution, with masses from 10 to 108 M⊙ and scales from 10−3 to 10 kpc. These clumps' DM exhibit a peak at the centre, tapering toward the outskirts, resembling our Galaxy's DM distribution. We analyse these DM clumps' NS mass variations, considering diverse DM particle masses and galaxy types. We find relatively stable NS mass within 0.01 – 5 kpc from the clump centre. This stability supports the initial hypothesis, particularly for NSs located beyond 0.01 kpc from the clump centre, where NS mass reaches a plateau around 0.1 kpc. Nevertheless, NS mass near the clump's periphery reveals spatial dependence: NS position within DM clumps influences its mass in Milky Way-type galaxies. Moreover, this dependence varies with the DM model considered. In summary, our study investigates the proposed link between NS mass and DM accumulation by examining NSs within DM clumps. While NS mass remains stable at certain distances from the clump centre, spatial dependencies arise near the clump's outer regions, contingent on the specific DM model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The inner Galaxy is a complex environment, and the relative contributions of different formation scenarios to its observed morphology and stellar properties are still debated. The different components are expected to have different spatial, kinematic, and metallicity distributions, and a combination of photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric large-scale surveys is needed to study the formation and evolution of the Galactic bulge. Aims. The Blanco DECam Bulge Survey (BDBS) provides near-ultraviolet to near-infrared photometry for approximately 250 million unique stars over more than 200 square degrees of the southern Galactic bulge. By combining BDBS photometry with the latest Gaia astrometry, we aim to characterize the chemodynamics of red clump stars across the BDBS footprint using an unprecedented sample size and sky coverage. Methods. Our field of view of interest is |ℓ| ≤ 10°, −10° ≤b ≤ −3°. We constructed a sample of approximately 2.3 million red clump giants in the bulge with photometric metallicities, BDBS photometric distances, and proper motions. Photometric metallicities are derived from a (u − i)0 versus [Fe/H] relation; astrometry, including precise proper motions, is from the third data release (DR3) of the ESA satellite Gaia. We studied the kinematics of the red clump stars as a function of sky position and metallicity by investigating proper-motion rotation curves, velocity dispersions, and proper-motion correlations across the southern Galactic bulge. Results. By binning our sample into eight metallicity bins in the range of −1.5 dex < [Fe/H] < +1 dex, we find that metal-poor red clump stars exhibit lower rotation amplitudes, at ∼29 km s−1 kpc−1. The peak of the angular velocity is ∼39 km s−1 kpc−1 for [Fe/H] ∼ −0.2 dex, exhibiting declining rotation at higher [Fe/H]. The velocity dispersion is higher for metal-poor stars, while metal-rich stars show a steeper gradient with Galactic latitude, with a maximum dispersion at low latitudes along the bulge minor axis. Only metal-rich stars ([Fe/H] ≳ −0.5 dex) show clear signatures of the bar in their kinematics, while the metal-poor population exhibits isotropic motions with an axisymmetric pattern around Galactic longitude ℓ = 0. Conclusions. This work describes the largest sample of bulge stars with distance, metallicity, and astrometry reported to date, and shows clear kinematic differences with metallicity. The global kinematics over the bulge agrees with earlier studies. However, we see striking changes with increasing metallicity, and, for the first time, kinematic differences for stars with [Fe/H]>  − 0.5, suggesting that the bar itself may have kinematics that depends on metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have proposed a model geometry for the interior of a regular black hole (BH) mimicker, the frozen star, whose most startling feature is that each spherical shell in its interior is a surface of infinite redshift. The geometry is a solution of the Einstein equations which is sourced by an exotic matter with maximally negative radial pressure. The frozen star geometry is previously presented in singular coordinates for which −gtt$-g_{tt}$ and grr$g^{rr}$ vanish in the bulk and connect smoothly to the Schwarzschild exterior. Additionally, the geometry is mildly singular in the center of the star. Here, the authors present regular coordinates for the entirety of the frozen star. Each zero in the metric is replaced with a small, dimensionless parameter ε; in both −gtt$-g_{tt}$ and grr$g^{rr}$ thus maintaining maximally negative radial pressure. The authors also regularize the geometry, energy density and pressure in the center of the star in a smooth way. The frozen star solution presented here is a completely regular solution of Einstein's equations whose compactness is arbitrarily close to that of a Schwarzschild BH. It obeys the null energy condition, the universally agreed‐upon energy condition, and it is free of any known pathology. As far as it is known, this is the first solution that obeys all of these constraints and, in addition, as will be shown in a future publication, can mimic all of the thermodynamic properties of a standard BH. Our initial analysis uses Schwarzschild‐like coordinates and applies the Killing equations to show that an infalling, point‐like object will move very slowly, effectively sticking to the surface of the star and never coming out. If one nevertheless follows the trajectory of the object into the interior of the star, it moves along an almost‐radial trajectory until it comes within a small distance from the star's center. Once there, if the object has any amount of angular momentum at all, it will be reflected outwards by a potential barrier onto a different almost‐radial trajectory. Finally, using Kruskal‐like coordinates, the causal structure of the regularized frozen star and discuss its ε→0$\varepsilon \rightarrow 0$ limit, for which the geometry degenerates and becomes effectively two dimensional is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, astrometric microlensing is the only tool that can directly measure the mass of a single star; it can also help us to detect compact objects such as isolated neutron stars and black holes. The number of microlensing events that are being predicted and reported is increasing. In this paper, potential lens stars are selected from three types of stars: high-proper-motion stars, nearby stars, and high-mass stars. For each potential lens star, we select a larger search scope to find possible matching sources and to avoid missing events as much as possible. Using data from Gaia Data Release 3, we predict 4500 astrometric microlensing events with δθ+ > 0.1 mas, which occur between J2010.0 and J2070.0, where 1664 events are different from those found previously. There are 293 lens stars that can cause two or more events, where five lens stars can cause more than 50 events. We find that 116 events have the distance of background stars from the proper motion path of lens stars more than 8 arcsec in the reference epoch, where the maximum distance is 16 |${_{.}^{\prime\prime}}$| 6. Thus, the cone search method of expanding the search range of sources for each potential lens star can reduce the possibility of missing events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a didactic sequence for students with ages 9–10 that provides an experimental approach to the stellar parallax concept and revisits the events that humanity had to transit before the heliocentric model was accepted is introduced. This sequence complements our adaptation of the first observation attempted by Galileo to demonstrate the heliocentric hypothesis to be correct and that was specifically designed for ages 12–13. An experimental setup designed to mimic Bessel observations is also introduced in order to bridge the gap between the early attempt by Galileo and the present state of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the question whether or not the orbitals of exoplanets follow the symmetry-governed sequence found by Barut from the dynamical group of the Kepler problem. In particular, we consider their star distances, periods, and velocities. Previous studies have shown the validity of this regularity for our solar system, and for some selected exoplanet systems. Here, we study all the systems which are known with four or more planets. A remarkable result is found: 63 out of 100 systems show a better agreement between the theory and observation than our solar system. We discuss the relation between the symmetry-inspired transformations and the generalized Titius–Bode (gTB) rule. It turns out that the gTB rule, which has been considered purely empirical, can be obtained from the transformations corresponding to the dynamical group of the Kepler problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We measured the equivalent widths ( s) of interstellar Ti II absorption lines at 3383.759 for about 250 reddened objects and found a good correlation of the s with distances to the background stars, estimated using Gaia DR3 parallaxes. Hipparcos trigonometric parallaxes were used for very bright objects which were not observed by Gaia. The Ti II based distance estimation procedure is similar to the well known Ca II-method (Megier et al., 2005, 2009). However, there are at least 3 advantages of the Ti II method: in contrast to interstellar Ca II H and K lines, blending of Ti II with stellar lines is not an issue even for late B stars; Ti II is to a much less extent influenced by the saturation effect; only a single line must be measured, i.e. there is only a single measurement error to be taken into account. The relation of between Ti II and distance is given by simple equation , where is the distance in pc and is the equivalent width of the Ti II 3383.759 line in mÅ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify 71 distant stars in James Webb Space Telescope/NIRCam early release observations (ERO) images of the field of galaxy cluster SMACS J0723.3-7327 (SMACS 0723). Given the relatively small (∼10°) angular separation between SMACS 0723 and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), it is likely that these stars are associated with the LMC outskirts or the Leading Arm. This is further bolstered by a spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis, which suggests an excess of stars at a physical distance of 40–100 kpc, consistent with being associated with or located behind the Magellanic system. In particular, we find that the overall surface density of stars brighter than 27.0 mag in the field of SMACS 0723 is ∼2.3 times that of stars in a blank field with similar Galactic latitude (the North Ecliptic Pole Time Domain Field), and that the density of stars in the SMACS 0723 field with SED-derived distances consistent with the Magellanic system is ∼6.1 times larger than that of the blank field. The candidate stars at these distances are consistent with a stellar population at the same distance modulus with [Fe/H] = −1.0 and an age of ∼5.0 Gyr. On the assumption that all of the 71 stars are associated with the LMC, then the stellar density of the LMC at the location of the SMACS 0723 field is ∼740 stars kpc−3, which helps trace the density of stars in the LMC outskirts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is tracking of possible changes in the spectrum of the interstellar cloud seen along the sightline towards a runaway star AE Aur. The study considers variations in the radial velocities of the interstellar molecules and atoms, dwelling in the cloud, for the period ≈17 yr. The most recent results of 6 yr monitoring of equivalent widths variability for the CH and CH+ absorption lines are also presented. The study was done using the CH B-X(0,0) 3886 Å, A-X (0,0) 4300 Å and the CH+ A-X (1-0) 3958 Å, A-X (0,0) 4232 Å lines as well as the interstellar potassium K  i 7699 Å line. Moreover, a short discussion concerning the distance to the star is included. The present study is a continuation of our previous works and works of other researchers dedicated to the problem of small-scale structure in diffuse interstellar clouds. High resolution optical spectra from different spectrographs have been used in this work. The results of the study do not demonstrate significant changes in the radial velocities of the spectral features mentioned. The intensities of the CH and CH+ lines show slight tendency to vary at 1–3  per cent level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present precise photometric estimates of stellar parameters, including effective temperature, metallicity, luminosity classification, distance, and stellar age, for nearly 26 million stars using the methodology developed in the first paper of this series, based on the stellar colors from the Stellar Abundances and Galactic Evolution Survey (SAGES) Data Release 1 and Gaia Early Data Release 3. The optimal design of stellar-parameter sensitive uv filters by SAGES has enabled us to determine photometric-metallicity estimates down to −3.5, similar to our previous results with the SkyMapper Southern Survey (SMSS), yielding a large sample of over five million metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≤ −1.0) stars and nearly one million very metal-poor ([Fe/H] ≤ −2.0) stars. The typical precision is around 0.1 dex for both dwarf and giant stars with [Fe/H] > −1.0, and 0.15–0.25/0.3–0.4 dex for dwarf/giant stars with [Fe/H] < −1.0. Using the precise parallax measurements and stellar colors from Gaia, effective temperature, luminosity classification, distance, and stellar age are further derived for our sample stars. This huge data set in the Northern sky from SAGES, together with similar data in the Southern sky from SMSS, will greatly advance our understanding of the Milky Way, in particular its formation and evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately quantifying the rates d M /d t at which massive stars lose mass is essential to any understanding of their evolution. All d M /d t estimates to date assume wind clumping factors; not allowing for clumping leads to overestimates of d M /d t and underestimates of lifetimes and masses when these stars explode as supernovae. Mid-infrared spectroscopy suggested that the wind of the nearest Wolf–Rayet (WR) star, γ2 Vel, is resolved with a full width at 10 per cent intensity of 0.5 arcsec, or 171 au at the 342 pc distance of the star. As the Zorro speckle imager on Gemini South is capable of ∼0.02 arcsec resolution, we have used it to image γ2 Vel at two orbital phases (0.30 and 0.44) with two narrow-band and two intermediate-band filters in an attempt to resolve its wind. Our observations demonstrate that γ2 Vel's wind may be resolved as a ∼0.07 arcsec westward elongation through an 832 nm filter at orbital phase 0.3. If confirmed, this is the smallest scale (∼24 au) at which a WR star wind asymmetry has been directly imaged. Similar imaging at multiple phases is needed to determine if the asymmetry is due to stochastic wind clumping, co-rotating interaction regions or colliding-wind, cone-shaped shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new method for measuring the spatial density distribution of the stellar halo of the Milky Way. Our method is based on a pairwise statistic of the distribution of stars in the sky, the angular two-point correlation function (ATPCF). The ATPCF utilizes two-dimensional data of stars only and is therefore immune to the large uncertainties in the determination of distances to stars. We test our method using mock stellar data coming from various models including the single power-law (SPL) and the broken power-law (BPL) density profiles. We also test the influence of axisymmetric flattening factors using both constant and varying values. We find that the ATPCF is a powerful tool for recovering the spatial distributions of the stellar haloes in our models. We apply our method to observational data from the type ab RR Lyrae catalogue in the Catalina Survey Data Release 1. In the 3-parameter BPL model, we find that |$s_{1}=2.46_{-0.20}^{+0.18}, s_{2}=3.99_{-1.33}^{+0.75}$|⁠ , and |$r_{0}=31.11_{-5.88}^{+7.61}$|⁠ , which are in good agreement with previous results. We also find that introducing an extra parameter, the radially varying flattening factor, greatly improves our ability to model accurately the observed data distribution. This implies perhaps that the stellar halo of the Milky Way should be regarded as oblate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The projection stellar target simulator is a stellar target simulator in which star points are projected to be imaged on a fixed plane at a fixed distance. Compared with conventional stellar target simulators, the projection stellar target simulator makes star points visible and provides the necessary condition for a semi-physical simulation test of the star camera. In this paper, the projection stellar target simulator optical system with high-quality imaging is designed by combining the projection technology, which breaks the collimated imaging of the conventional stellar target simulator optical system, and offers a new thought to solve the problem of decreasing the calibration accuracy caused by the influence of the coaxiality and other factors in the stellar target simulator calibrating the star camera. Based on the imaging behavior of the star map, this paper proposes a method to realize the automatic detection of a projection stellar target simulator by using CCD and introduces the composition and working principle of the detection system in detail. According to the imaging characteristics of star points, denoising and threshold segmentation of the star map are carried out, and an improved centroid algorithm is proposed to achieve high-precision positioning of the centroid coordinates of the star points. The measurement model and measuring formulas for the angular distance between stars are established. The error sources of the detection system are analyzed and obtain the theoretical error of 9.22″ for this detection system. The result of an actual test experiment shows that the position error of single star is less than 11″, in line with the theoretical analysis of the error, indicating the detection system has high detection precision and meets the requirement for the detection accuracy of the projection stellar target simulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the magnetic field geometry in a complex of three cometary (with head–tail morphology) globules, namely LDN 323, LDN 328, and LDN 331, using R -band polarization measurements of background stars. These observations were combined with a Planck sky survey to study the large-scale morphology of the magnetic fields in the region. The distances of the target stars were adopted from the Gaia catalogue. The variation of the degree of polarization and polarization position angle with distances of stars is analysed. The field geometry is mostly found to follow the cometary shape of the cloud, with some randomness at certain locations. For studying the correlation between cloud morphology and magnetic field orientations, a modified version of the histogram of relative orientation (HRO) analysis was employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on Cepheids located near the solar circle, we have determined the Galactocentric distance of the Sun and the Galactic rotation velocity at the solar distance . For our analysis we used a sample of 200 classical Cepheids from the catalogue by Skowron et al. (2019), where the distances to them were determined from the period–luminosity relation. For these stars the proper motions and line-of-sight velocities were taken from the Gaia DR3 catalogue. The values of found lie within the range 7.8–8.3 kpc, depending on the heliocentric distance of the sample stars, on the adopted solar velocity relative to the local standard of rest, and on whether or not the perturbations caused by the Galactic spiral density wave are taken into account. The dispersion of the estimates is 2 kpc. Similarly, the values of lie within the range 240–270 km s with a dispersion of the estimates of 70–90 km s . We consider the following estimates to be the final ones: kpc and km s found by taking into account the perturbations from the Galactic spiral density wave. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaia EDR3 has provided unprecedented data that has generated a great deal of interest in the astrophysical community, even though systematics affect the reported parallaxes at the level of ∼10 μas. Independent distance measurements are available from asteroseismology of red-giant stars with measurable parallaxes, whose magnitude and colour ranges more closely reflect those of other stars of interest. In this paper we determine distances to nearly 12 500 red-giant-branch and red clump stars observed by Kepler, K2, and TESS. This was done via a grid-based modelling method, where global asteroseismic observables, and constraints on the photospheric chemical composition and on the unreddened photometry are used as observational inputs. This large catalogue of asteroseismic distances allows us to provide a first comparison with Gaia EDR3 parallaxes. Offset values estimated with asteroseismology show no clear trend with ecliptic latitude or magnitude, and the trend whereby they increase (in absolute terms) as we move towards redder colours is dominated by the brightest stars. The correction model proposed by Lindegren et al. (2021a) is not suitable for all the fields considered in this study. We find a good agreement between asteroseismic results and model predictions of the red clump magnitude. We discuss possible trends with the Gaia scan law statistics, and show that two magnitude regimes exist where either asteroseismology or Gaia provides the best precision in parallax. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]