Stellar and Galactic astronomy

This area focuses on the study of stars and stellar phenomena for a variety of applications. Among these, we emphasize stellar evolution, particularly transients and supernova events. We are heavily involved in projects such as ASAS-SN and XX to detect and study various transient events in the Universe.

Supernovae are of great interest not only because they mark the deaths of stars but also because they interact with their surroundings, influencing the evolution of galaxies. Due to their exceptional brightness, supernovae serve as powerful tools for studying the properties of galaxies beyond the Milky Way.

Our research also focuses on stellar atmospheres, particularly the determination of stellar parameters and chemical abundances for thousands of stars. This information is then used to analyze the stellar populations of the Milky Way and neighboring galaxies, allowing us to reconstruct the formation and evolution of spiral galaxies by using their chemical compositions as fossil records.

Thanks to SDSS-V—specifically the combination of the Milky Way Mapper and the Local Volume Mapper—new opportunities are emerging to integrate stellar spectra with the chemical properties of the interstellar medium (ISM) in the Milky Way. This will revolutionize our understanding of how galaxies like our own assemble.

Our expertise in analyzing both high-resolution stellar spectra (e.g., from MIKE, UVES, APOGEE) and high-quality integral field unit (IFU) data (e.g., from MUSE) has led us to play a leading role in key working groups within both the Milky Way Mapper and the Local Volume Mapper.

Other topics of interest in this area include compact objects, binary stars, variable stars, dwarf galaxies, and metal-poor stars.

Projects