European
Southern
Observatory
ESO Science Newsletter April 2018
30 Apr 2018
Multi-wavelength observations reveal an isolated neutron star in the Small Magellanic Cloud

This newsletter is a summary of recent ESO Science Announcement items. Follow the links or visit ESO Science Announcements to read more.


Science announcements


MUSE Narrow Field Mode Science Verification

30 Apr 2018:

GALACSI is part of the Adaptive Optics Facility (AOF), and is thus associated with the Deformable Secondary Mirror (DSM) and the 4 Laser Guide Star Facility (4LGSF). It defines an AO system developed to increase the performance of the MUSE instrument in narrow-field mode. Commissioning is proceeding and Science Verification is planned for August 2018, for which applications are invited.

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2018 ESO Studentships

25 Apr 2018:

The ESO research studentship programme provides an outstanding opportunity for PhD students to experience the exciting scientific environment at one of the world's leading observatories for a period of up to two years.

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ESO Period 102 Proposal Submission Statistics

24 Apr 2018:

The deadline for proposal submission for Period 102 (1 October 2018 - 1 April 2019) was 28 March, 2018. 916 valid proposals were submitted, including 23 Large Programmes, of which four are GTO Large Programmes. The number of proposals for P102 is very similar to that of Periods 91 (893), 92 (892), 93 (898), 94 (901), 98 (901), 99 (887), 100 (895) and 101 (899). This confirms the levelling off observed after the peak of Periods 95 (934), 96 (960) and 97 (1024).

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Workshop: A Revolution in Stellar Physics with Gaia and Large Surveys

21 Apr 2018:

Warsaw University Library, Warsaw, Poland, 3–7 September 2018

The era of Gaia-enabled revolutions in almost all areas of astrophysics has started. In particular, and crucially, Gaia's exquisite astrometry and photometry combined with data from other large stellar surveys (ground- and space-based) will allow major progress in our understanding of stellar physics. The workshop will focus on the advances in our understanding of stellar physical processes made possible by combining the astrometry and photometry of Gaia with data from other large photometric, spectroscopic, and asteroseismic stellar surveys. Asteroseismology, in particular, has been essential to probe the interiors of stars. These combined data will permit detailed studies of stellar physics to a level that is unprecedented in the history of stellar astrophysics. More details are available on the workshop page or by email. The registration and abstract submission deadline has recently been extended to 5 May 2018.

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Upgrade to ESO Telescope Bibliography Interface

20 Apr 2018:

The ESO Telescope Bibliography, telbib, connects ESO data papers with observations in the Science Archive and provides a variety of publication statistics. Search results can be visualised in various ways, resulting in "on-the-fly" graphs. In addition, telbib also provides a set of predefined charts. Following requests from telbib users, the underlying data tables of all charts are now also available for download via the web. This new download option gives users more flexibility to process data according to their needs. Note that all telbib charts are interactive and the data exported into CSV or XLS tables will correspond to the selection made by the user.

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Pipeline-Processed VIMOS Images

18 Apr 2018:

A data release has been published containing science data products from all science observations using the VIMOS instrument in imaging mode, from the beginning of regular operations in April 2003 until August 2015. The remaining data will be added in the near future. All image products were produced at the observing block level and no attempt was made to stack data between observing blocks. The image products come with a variance map that was propagated through the complete reduction cycle. These science products are now published via the ESO Science Archive Facility.

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EREBOS Data Release: FORS2 Spectra of Post-Common Envelope Binaries

17 Apr 2018:

The Eclipsing Reflection Effect Binaries from the OGLE Survey (EREBOS) project investigates the interaction of low-mass and sub-stellar companions of low-mass stars (Large Programme 196.D-0214, PI Veronika Schaffenroth). Several post-common envelope eclipsing binaries, with a hot sub-dwarf primary and a cool low mass companion were selected using the photometric results of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and observed with FORS2 in long-slit mode.

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Workshop: Take a Closer Look – The Innermost Region of Protoplanetary Discs and its Connection to the Origin of Planets

10 Nov 2017:

ESO Headquarters, Garching, Germany, 15–19 October 2018

Recent discoveries of close-in planets around main sequence and even pre-main sequence stars raise a number of questions about the formation of planetary systems. Their formation and migration history must be directly linked to the conditions within the inner regions of their progenitor protoplanetary discs. These sites also play a key role in star-disc interactions. Studies probing this important region require the use of innovative techniques and a wide range of instruments.

This workshop will address a number of topics related to the inner disc, including the morphology and composition of the innermost disc regions, star-disc interaction, and theories that describe the evolution of the innermost disc regions and the formation of close-in planets.

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