Seminars and Colloquia at ESO Santiago

Massive stars in star-forming regions inject huge amounts of energy and momentum into the ISM producing ubiquitous superbubbles, turbulent gas motions and outflows. The coupling efficiency of stellar feedback and its dependence on metallicity remains uncertain in simulations. Analysing the MUSE and HST observations from the PHANGS survey, we identified about 1500 expanding superbubbles and regions with local turbulent gas motions and linked them to the young star clusters. This allowed us to measure the coupling efficiency of mechanical stellar feedback and how it depends on the metallicity directly from the observations. In my talk, I will overview the current state of the PHANGS survey and focus on the measurements of the energy balance between massive stars and the ionized ISM in 19 nearby galaxies. 

Recent efforts in lensed quasar discovery — particularly with the use of Gaia — have provided an all-sky magnitude-limited sample of ~250 lensed quasars. I will discuss the most recent discovery techniques, present several interesting new systems and preliminary data from an HST Gap programme, and focus on an unexpected six-image system. HST imaging and NOT spectroscopy have shown that this is fact a dual quasar source with 6 kpc protected separation. I will discuss the implications of this single discovery for sub-10-kpc merger rates at Cosmic Noon. Finally I will discuss a possible milliparsec-separation lensed quasar pair, based on periodic signatures in a decade-long COSMOGRAIL lightcurve.

GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool developed by GitHub in collaboration with OpenAI. It assists developers in writing code by providing contextually relevant suggestions as they type. Leveraging OpenAI's GPT models, Copilot analyzes the code context, including comments and variable names, to offer relevant code snippets, function calls, and even entire functions. GitHub Copilot offers code suggestions as you type, ranging from variable assignments to complete functions. Additionally, it allows interaction through natural language queries, generating code snippets based on descriptions. Copilot continuously learns from developer interactions, enhancing its suggestions over time. This discussion will delve into the installation process and effective utilization of GitHub Copilot, emphasizing its role in expediting code writing and enhancing efficiency. We'll explore how Copilot streamlines the development workflow, enabling developers to write code more swiftly and effectively.

The asymptotic giant branch (AGB) is the final stage in the evolution of low-to-intermediate mass stars, before they become white dwarfs. Experiencing strong convective dredge-up and slow pronounced dusty winds, AGB stars contribute a significant amount to the enrichment of the interstellar medium. The mass-loss process involved in this evolutionary stage is responsible for the formation of large dust and gas structures around such stars. So far, extended emission originating from such structures has mainly been observed in the infrared regime. However, recently more examples of emission associated with large scale features around AGB stars have been reported in the UV regime (Mira, CW Leo and RW LMi). This talk will focus on results based on a recent systematic Aladin survey of extended UV or IR emission structures associated with evolved AGB variables. The sample covers several extended features in GALEX FUV (far-UV 0.13 - 0.18 micron), ranging from very faint and barely visible structures to large, pronounced rings or bubbles with infrared counterparts. High quality UV observations of AGB stars and their surroundings are currently few in number, but results such as the ones of this study suggest that future observations focused on this wavelength regime could provide valuable information regarding the evolution of sun-like stars.

The European Southern Observatory's Paranal platform stands at the forefront of astronomical research, hosting a suite of sophisticated instruments capable of probing astronomical objects with a variety of technical solutions. In my presentation, I will guide you through the main characteristics of these instruments, and we will discuss their potential to serve your research interest.

M dwarfs are the most numerous stars in the solar vicinity, and play a key role in the hunt for habitable exoplanets. Those stars are known to host magnetic fields, with consequences both on planet detection and stellar characterization. In this talk, I present the results of a study aimed at detecting and quantifying the small scale magnetic fields of M dwarfs from high-resolution near-infrared (nIR) spectra. To this end we developed a new code, ZeeTurbo, by adding the Zeeman effect and polarized radiative transfer capabilities to Turbospectrum, and compute a homogeneous grid of synthetic spectra of magnetic stars from state-of-the-art MARCS model atmospheres. We fit our models to high-resolution near-infrared spectra to estimate the average magnetic field strength (< B >), effective temperature (Teff), surface gravity (log(g)) and metallicity ([M/H]) of M dwarfs. We applied our tools to 49 stars, including strongly and weakly magnetic targets, deriving < B > estimates consistent with previous studies. Those results can have implications for a broad range of fields, from the diagnostics of activity induced radial velocity jitters for the search of exoplanets, to the description of dynamo processes at the origin of the generation of magnetic fields in cool fully convective stars. ZeeTurbo provides the basis for ongoing and future projects aimed at studying magnetic fields of M dwarfs and pre main-sequence stars.

Dedoscopio is a 7 year project dedicated to achieve astronomical activities for blind and visually impaired people across Chile. We have learned how versatile astronomy is and, above all, how important learning through the 5 senses is. During the activity, we will talk about our experience in inclusive astronomy, showing the materials that have failed and those that have worked. We will have a moment for you to create tactile material, so we recommend arriving accompanied by all your imagination and all your skills to describe astronomical phenomena without using images.

Several recent studies have proven that the high-resolution spectroscopic analysis of young (t< 200 Myr) solar-analogues is rather complicated. The main culprit is activity, which presents in an intricate combination of relatively intense magnetic fields, presence of dark and bright spots on the surface and high levels of variability. All these contribute with significant variations of the strength (i.e., the equivalent width) of the atomic spectral lines, dramatically affecting, among other things, the derivation of the stellar parameters (mainly microturbulence velocity parameter) and the abundances of some elements (for example, barium and carbon). The times are now ripe to discuss and finally address these issues, given the importance of a precise stellar characterization for exoplanetary studies and to correctly interpret Galactic abundance trends. In this talk, I will revise our group's latest results in the spectroscopic analysis of young stars, presenting innovative techniques developed using stars in Galactic open clusters and new work(s) in progress.

Within Λ Cold Dark Matter simulations, Milky Way-like galaxies accrete part of their satellite galaxies in small groups rather than individually. It was suggested that this might be the reason behind the origin of satellite planes and the galaxy pairs found in the Local Group, providing new insights on dwarf galaxy formation and evolution. 

Objects accreted in groups are expected to share similar specific total energy and angular momentum, and also identical orbital orientations. Looking at observations of Milky Way satellites, the dwarfs Leo II, IV, V, Crater II, and the star cluster Crater 1 were proposed to be a vestige of group infall. The suggested "Crater-Leo group" shows a monotonic distance gradient and all these objects align along a great circle.

To further investigate this possibility, we use Gaia Data Release 3 and present new Hubble Space Telescope (HST) proper motions to derive accurate orbital properties for these objects. Assuming that satellites accreted as a group share similar specific angular momentum and total energy, we can identify possible associations and predict their proper motions.

Leo II, Leo IV, and Crater 1 show orbital properties consistent with those we predict from assuming group infall. However, our results suggest that Crater II was not accreted with the rest of the objects. If confirmed with increasingly accurate proper motions in the future, the Crater-Leo objects appear to constitute the first identified case of a cosmologically expected, typical group infall event.

The fate of a massive star during the latest stages of its evolution is highly dependent on its mass-loss rate and geometry. The geometry of the mass-loss process can be inferred from the shape of the circumstellar material, having a significant influence on the evolution of massive stars (25 and 40 Msun), i.e., type II SN progenitors. In this context, yellow hypergiants (YHGs) offer an excellent opportunity to study mass-loss events.

This talk will focus on recent results on two members of this class, IRAS 17163-3907, the central star of the Fried Egg nebula and IRC +10420. I will present the analysis of optical and near-infrared data with the main focus on the observed spectroscopic and interferometric (GRAVITY/VLTI) modes. Our VLTI/GRAVITY K-band interferometry on both sources reveals that the neutral Na I 2.2 μm line emitting region is smaller than that of the hydrogen Brγ emission. We perform LTE modelling demonstrating that this observation can be explained with the hydrogen emission being the result of collisional excitation populating the higher levels in a neutral region instead them being populated through recombination in an ionised environment as mostly inferred in stellar winds. In addition, our geometric models towards IRC+10420, reveal an evolution of the ejecta over only about 7 years, while our 2D radiative transfer modelling towards IRAS 17163-3907 led to the discovery of a third hot inner shell with a maximum dynamical age of only 30 yr. For this yellow hypergiant, we find three observed distinct mass-loss episodes which are characterised by different mass-loss rates and can inform theories of mass-loss mechanisms, which is a topic still under debate both in theory and observations. These will be discussed in the context of photospheric pulsations and wind bi-stability mechanisms.

The Bayesian Analysis of Galaxies for Physical Inference and Parameter EStimation (Bagpipes): a customizable tool for spectral modeling. In this session, we will explore the Bayesian Analysis of Galaxies for Physical Inference and Parameter EStimation (Bagpipes) Python package. This is a useful code for modeling spectra and also fitting photometric and spectroscopic observations. Computations made in the code are based on successful theoretical models on (i) stellar populations, (ii) dust emission, (iii) nested sampling algorithm, and (iv) photoionization models. Additionally, due to its flexibility and customization to work with different data, Bagpipes is a common tool in the exploration of star-formation histories and their consequences in observational works in the last four years. We will learn how to do SED fitting to photometric data, spectroscopic fitting, and reproducing spectra with custom parameters and star-formation histories.

X-ray binaries allow us to measure the mass of the compact object through the motion of the secondary. High-mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) with black holes of masses up to ~20 solar masses for the famous Cygnus X-1 have been discovered so far, whereas more massive stellar mass black holes have solely been detected through gravitational wave radiation in black hole mergers. Aiming to find a more massive stellar mass black hole in a HMXB, we observed the source IGRJ16479-4514 which shows similarities to Cygnus X-1. This eclipsing HMXB has the shortest orbital period known of ~3.3 days and additionally contains an O supergiant donor star. We use time resolved X-shooter spectroscopy in the near-infrared to determine the mass of the compact object. Perhaps surprisingly, we find a mass of no more than ~2 solar masses for the compact object with which we classify it as a neutron star. In this talk I will discuss the analysis leading up to the mass determination of the compact object and the O star.

Band 1 is offered for Science Observation starting in Cycle 10. The process of integration/acceptance will be presented, as well as the science goals of this receiver.
Band 2 preproduction receivers, the first wide band, have been produced, installed, and tested in the ALMA system. The project has been accepted in the Main Readiness Review (2023), and the production receivers are under construction. Integration is expected to start in the second half of 2024. I will describe the technical aspects of these new receivers, the foreseen plan of integration, as well as their scientific capabilities.

Note: This is the second talk in a talk series. In this series of two talks, Dr. Marconi will describe the commissioning process of the ALMA band receivers with a special focus on Bands 1, 2, and 5, while giving an overview of the science goals that can be achieved.

Peer review is the backbone of scientific research. It has a strong influence on the progress of science, careers of researchers, allocation of resources (including telescope time, computation, and billions of dollars), and the public perception of science. It is therefore of vital importance to understand the blindspots in peer review and improve it in a principled manner. With this motivation, this talk will comprise two parts: In part 1, we will present insightful experiments that shed light on key aspects of peer review. In part 2, we will discuss the design and deployment of algorithms to address problems in various parts of the review process. No prior knowledge will be assumed. The talk is partly based on the survey article https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~nihars/preprints/SurveyPeerReview.pdf

Strong gravitational lensing is a well-established tool to constrain models of galaxy evolution, the nature of dark matter and cosmological parameters. Fundamental to these lines of research is the parameterisation of the large-scale mass distribution of the lensing galaxies, which have long been assumed to be well-described by a singular ellipsoidal power-law density profile with external shear. However, the inflexibility of this model could lead to systematic errors in astrophysical parameters inferred with gravitational lensing observables. In this talk, I will present observations with the ALMA of three strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at 30 mas angular resolution and our investigation of the sensitivity of these data to angular structure in the lensing galaxies. Using multipole expansions of the power-law density profile up to fourth order, l show that all three data sets strongly favour third and fourth-order multipole amplitudes of ≈1 percent of the convergence. I compare the isodensity and isophotal shapes of these galaxies, and find that two of them have significant disagreement. I discuss the contributions to the angular structure from dark matter intrinsic or extrinsic to the lensing galaxy and the implications for this for future lensing studies.

The Rubin management team visiting ESO will review the Vera Rubin Observatory project and current status. Rubin is in the final stages of the Construction phase and is anticipated to transition to operations in less than 1.5 years from now.  We intend to review the main science goals as well walk through the complexity of the Data Management System and the operations workflows.  Additionally we will provide some lessons learned from our contract with INRIA who designed and built our LSST Operator’s Visualization Environment (LOVE) system.   

I will describe how the new receivers are commissioned, accepted, and offered for science use after the science verification. As ESO band 5 was the first ADP provided to ALMA, I will discuss how it was managed and the experience gained to improve the process itself.

Note: This is one of the two talks in a series. In this series of two talks, Dr. Marconi will describe the commissioning process of the ALMA band receivers with a special focus on Bands 1, 2, and 5, while giving an overview of the science goals that can be achieved. 

W2246-0526 is a Hot Dust Obscured Galaxy (Hot DOG) at redshift 

4.6, and the most luminous obscured quasar known to date. I will present 

ALMA observations of this Hot DOG for the brightest far-IR 

fine-structure emission lines, as well as of their underlying dust 

continuum. A comparison of the data with a large grid of CLOUDY 

radiative transfer models reveals that the conditions of the 

interstellar medium of the galaxy need to be extreme: high hydrogen 

density and extinction, together with intense ionization and a high 

X-ray to UV ratio, among the largest found in the literature. This (and 

future planned) work sheds light on the extreme conditions that galaxies 

can experience during the early stages of the Universe, a piece of 

information that is critical to our understanding of how distant and 

young galaxies evolve.

The MeerKAT Fornax Survey has successfully observed the central part of the Fornax cluster with an unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. Reaching a M(HI) sensitivity of ~10^6Msun, these data allow us to investigate the low HI mass population of the Fornax cluster.
The simple question of whether the faint HI emission is a free floating cloud or a faint galaxy would remain unanswered without the availability of deep optical images. By analysing deep VST optical images from the Fornax Deep Survey, it is now clear that some of the low-mass HI detections do not have an optical counterpart and are thus clouds of gas floating within the ICM. 
Finally, I will also mention the studies on the SFH and the properties of the multi-phase gas of Fornax galaxies that are possible thanks to the availability of MUSE, ALMA and APEX data. In particular, I will focus on the case of NGC 1436, a lenticular galaxy in the making.
Multi-wavelength analysis, which are able to provide a snapshot of the current evolutionary state of a galaxy as well as to provide information about its past interactions, are powerful tools to shed light on the physical processes which have driven galaxy evolution.

Small planets located at the lower mode of the bimodal radius distribution are generally assumed to be composed of iron and silicates in a proportion similar to that of the Earth. However, recent discoveries are revealing a new group of low-density planets that are inconsistent with that description. Their low densities could be explained by a scarcity of iron within their cores, by the presence of a significant amount of volatile elements, or by both effects. Recently, Adibekyan et al. found that stars with higher Mg/Fe and Si/Fe ratios host lighter super-Earths, which indicates a compositional star-planet connection. However, the lowest-dense super-Earths cannot be explained by having an iron-poor core, and instead require a significant amount of volatile elements in their compositions. The reason why those planets have such large amounts of volatiles is still unknown. In this talk, I will present our recent characterization of the unusually low-density super-Earth TOI-244 b based on ESPRESSO and TESS data and discuss its possible composition. Besides, I will present two tentative trends in the density-metallicity and density-insolation parameter space that might hint at the formation and composition of the lowest-density super-Earths.

At first it was a challenge of scientific communication, now it is a way of life. Making science accessible to people with disabilities holds a potential that goes beyond social responsibility or empathy. It is also about making diversity an integral part of scientific development, incorporating people full of curiosity with new approaches to face problems. 


We propose to start by revising our own perception of disability, giving people with disabilities and people involved in their education and caretaking the opportunity to tell us about it, and by opening our minds to new ways of doing science. Inclusive astronomy drives us to be creative, to generate networks, and to collaborate in an interdisciplinary way. We hope that this initiative will extend to other areas of scientific research.

Recent advancements in distance measurement techniques have unveiled
discrepancies in the estimation of the Hubble parameter between early
and late Universe indicators. Additionally, non-negligible disagreements
have emerged in the Hubble parameter values derived from near-Universe
indicators, such as Cepheids and the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB).
Thus, the establishment of new, independent, and reliable distance
estimation methods provides an important sanity check.
In this context, Type II supernovae have remained an underutilized
resource. Their relatively straightforward physics, combined with recent
advancements in modelling techniques, make it possible to estimate
precise distances without relying on the calibration ladder. Apart from
describing the potential of Type II supernovae as a dependable distance
measurement tool, I will also showcase it by presenting the results of
two recent empirical tests described in
        Csörnyei et al. 2023a,
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023A%26A...672A.129C/abstract  and
        Csörnyei et al. 2023b,
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023arXiv230513943C/abstract
Both of these initial tests yield encouraging results, showing that
obtaining a high-precision value for H0 through Type II supernovae alone
is indeed possible.

The 5-sigma tension between the measurement of the Hubble constant based on the CMB and that based on a local distance ladder with Cepheid stars and Type Ia supernovae has turned into one of the most pressing problems in modern cosmology. If the discrepancy is real and not just due to underestimated measurement uncertainties, it hints at new physics beyond the cosmological standard model Lambda-CDM. To address this problem, additional measurements of the Hubble constant, ideally completely independent of the local distance ladder, are essential. Strong gravitational lensing can provide such a measurement: time delays between the multiple images in strong-lens systems can be used to determine the "time-delay distance", which is inversely proportional to the Hubble constant. The method has already been successfully applied to strongly lensed quasars, supporting a physical origin of the Hubble tension. Here, I describe the efforts of the HOLISMOKES team to extend the method to strongly-lensed supernovae, which have several advantages over lensed quasars. So far, the progress is restricted by the extreme scarcity of lensed supernovae and the limited depth of present-day sky surveys. However, with upcoming deep surveys such as LSST or Euclid, hundreds of new time-delay lenses will make lensed-supernova time delays a competitive cosmological probe with the prospect to shed light on the true origin of the Hubble tension.

Two of our summer internship students, Claudia Rodrigues (PUC) and Fernanda Vera (UdeC), will present the results from their summer internship at Paranal and Vitacura conducted in January and February. Claudia has been working on a new tool to predict contamination from background sources during observations of Solar System moving objects (asteroids and comets). Fernanda has developed a code to monitor skyflats count levels in real time for ERIS on UT4.

Gas-phase metallicity and its spatial distribution hold the signature of the processes that shape the build-up and evolution of galaxies. Different radial profiles of metallicity can be interpreted in terms of either inside-out galaxy growth, radial mixing, galaxy mergers, or (re-)accretion of chemically enriched or pristine gas.
Conflicting theoretical predictions and heterogeneous observational results exist for gas metallicity gradients at high z. Moreover, observations have probed metallicity gradients only up to z~2-4 until very recently, before the advent of JWST.
I will present gas-phase metallicity gradients in three systems at z~6-8, when the Universe was only <1 Gyr old and the galaxy assembly was vigorously taking place. By making use of JWST NIRSpec IFU observations, we mapped the ionised gas in several rest-frame optical emission line diagnostics. We find generally flat radial gradients of gas metallicity, which are consistent with these sources being experiencing frequent mergers and gas mixing. These results extend up to z~8 the regime in which metallicity gradients are explored, providing a critical reference to inform models of galaxy evolution.

Arp 220 represents the closest prototypical ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) in an advanced phase of major mergers.  This study leverages the NIRSpec@ JWST to unravel the intricate kinematics within the nuclear region of Arp 220.
Thanks to integral field data and NIR observations, we can penetrate the dust enshrouding the nuclear region, enabling a detailed exploration of Arp 220's nuclear environment. This work focuses specifically on the complex kinematics of Arp 220, with a detailed examination of both stellar and gas kinematics across various phases, encompassing ionized and molecular states.
Employing Gaussian multifitting techniques, we disentangle the complex kinematic components within the nuclear region of Arp 220. Through decoupling processes, we isolate contributions from disc rotation, outflows, bubbles, streams and filaments due to the merging, confirming the previous scenario of two counter-rotating nuclei with a rotational disc observed at larger scale.
Clear signatures of the presence of AGN have not been detected.
Our analysis reveals the presence of a high-velocity bubbles emerging to the western nucleus originated from shock. We also show the presence of extended outflow from the eastern nucleus both in ionized and molecular gas, also detected at larger scale with MUSE.

Since the beginning of its operation, the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) survey has made significant contributions to various astronomical fields. In my talk, I will provide a brief overview of the project's history, outlining our current observing capabilities and strategies. Additionally, I will present our latest results, including, findings from microlensing and other transient events, as well as research on variable stars. Finally, I will discuss my involvement in the OGLE project, including the recently published catalog of highly probable transiting planetary candidates in Galactic Bulge observational fields. Furthermore, I will detail my analysis of two microlensing events that exhibited pronounced planetary anomalies

The formation processes that lead to Giant exoplanets on close-in orbits around their host stars are still debated; (i) in-situ formation theories provide too little explanations for planets with Jupiter-masses, which can be easier explained through (ii) formation on further-extended orbits, migrating to close-in orbits. Different migration mechanisms could lead there, pushing Giant planets either to circular and aligned orbits (in “dynamically cold” formation pathways) or to eccentric misaligned orbits (in “dynamically hot” formation pathways). However, so close to their host star, these planets experience strong tidal interactions, leading to a circularization of their orbits. For Hot Jupiter-type planets (here defined as p < 10 days), these circularization timescales are much shorter than for Warm Jupiters (10 d < p < 200 d), for which these timescales exceed the time since their formation. Therefore, the current day architectures of Warm Jupiters can provide valuable insights into their formation processes.

One observable that can be used to distinguish between the different mechanisms, is the obliquity angle which measures the alignment between the stellar rotation axis and the planetary orbital angular momentum, which is obtained through the measurement of the Rossiter-McLaughlin (RM) effect. Currently, the obliquities of ~200 planets have been observed, ~150 of which are Hot Jupiters; the numbers of Warm Jupiters with known obliquities are much lower, due to observational limitations. In this student internship project, we attempted to increase the number of Warm Jupiters by 6 (with 9.28 days < p < 28.38 days) using high-precision spectroscopy observations with ESPRESSO. Using the publicly available code ARoME code, we model the RM effect effect, obtaining obliquity angles for these targets, assuming uncorrelated white noise only.  However, beyond the studentship, these results will be published where the analysis will include a correlated noise component using Gaussian Processes and stellar activity indicators as regressors, with the aim of showing the importance of their inclusion in such analysis. The posterior distributions and uncertainties of the model parameters were sampled with Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) simulations. Here, we can present the best-fit results for the fitted parameters of 5 Warm Jupiter systems.

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have been an active area of research since their serendipitous discovery in the 1960s. Despite this, the physics and nature of their progenitors are still poorly understood. Whilst GRBs have multiple formation channels, they are all thought to be produced by relativistic outflows. Constraining the properties of these jets could be the key to understanding these highly energetic events. GRB 221009A and its afterglow are thought to be consistent with a structured jet. In this regime, we can predict a population of short-timescale, GRB afterglows many times larger than the GRB population. Previous surveys lacked the cadence necessary to probe this theoretical population. However, the Deeper, Wider, Faster Programme’s (DWF) deep, wide-field and fast-cadenced dataset is uniquely suited to a search of this kind. Using DWF data collected with the Dark Energy Camera, mounted on the Victor M. Blanco telescope, we conduct an untargeted search for GRB afterglows. This search will constrain the parameter space that GRB jets inhabit and shed light on the mysteries of GRB progenitors.

It is now commonly accepted that the dusty ‘tor0us’ in AGNs is a more complex structure than a simple toroidal distribution, roughly composed of an equatorial dusty disc and polar dusty wind launched by radiation pressure at the inner disc. However, this picture is primarily based on studies of moderately accreting Seyferts. As the accretion rate increases, the radiation pressure will also increase, changing the orientation and structure of the wind. To study the effect of Eddington ratio on this structure, we examine the wind launching region in two high accretion rate objects, I Zw 1 (super-Eddington) and H0557-385 (high-Eddington), using high spatial resolution interferometric observations in the KLM-bands using VLTI/MATISSE and VLTI/GRAVITY. We recover wavelength-dependant sizes using a Gaussian fit to the visibility. Both objects are partially resolved have sizes in the KLM-bands between 0.4 – 1.0 mas, with no position-angle dependent elongation. Combining our measurements with VLTI/MIDI N-band data gives a full multi-wavelength picture of the dust structure. We find that in H0557-385 the sizes of the dust measured at different wavelengths between 3.5-8 um are independent of the wavelength, constant at 10Rsub. We argue that this indicates a direct view of the wind launching region, and together with an absence of polar elongation, indicates the wind is launched in a preferentially equatorial direction. I Zw 1 shows a homogeneous dust distribution at the inner disc, and little mid-IR contribution, implying the presence of a puffed-up inner disc. We conclude that there is a strong suggestion the Eddington ratio shapes the inner dust structure, foremost the the wind-launching region, and therefore impacts the larger dust structure.

I will present an excursus of current and future medium-size facilities at ESO, and highlight their role in the astrophysical research of the last century. In the process, I will discuss some milestones of ESO history, and show how the organisation is evolving the role of its 4m-class telescopes in the near future.

Ultra-hot Jupiters (UHJs) are gas giant exoplanets on close-in orbits around their host stars with equilibrium temperatures of T > 2000K. The relatively strong emission signals from their daysides make these objects favorable targets for high-resolution spectroscopic characterization. This method has led to the discovery of lines from a wide range of chemical species and significant Doppler shifts in the spectra of UHJs, allowing measurements of atmospheric composition, thermal structure and dynamics.

My talk will focus on high-resolution spectroscopy of UHJs with CARMENES (Calar Alto Observatory) and CRIRES+. I will present the results of a recent in-depth characterization of WASP-33b with CARMENES. This study revealed the presence of several novel chemical species in the planet's atmosphere and provided evidence for the presence of strong atmospheric dynamics. Finally, I will give an overview of ongoing projects on gas giant exoplanet atmospheres in the CRIRES+ instrument consortium.

TBD

ALMA is an incredibly versatile facility that provides mm-wave images down to sub-arcsecond resolution, as well as total power (single-dish) images sensitive to larger scales. Complementary observations with the baseline array and Morita Atacama Compact Array (ACA) are vital for recovering the true flux distribution of spatially resolved astronomical sources accompanied by extended emission. This talk will be based largely on Plunkett et al. (2023), which provides an overview of the prominent available methods to combine single-dish and interferometric observations. I will describe a suite of test cases and assessment tools used to evaluate data combination methods. Finally, I'll introduce publicly available scripts, enabling participants to perform their own data combination and ensure high-quality science images of spatially resolved objects.  This presentation itself will *not* be hands-on for the participants, but you are welcome to bring some data that you are working on so that we can talk about options for data combination.

AGN feedback and its consequences on overall galactic evolution have been, for a time now, at the forefront of the field, with a clear picture yet to emerge. I will introduce the challenges and opportunities that Lyman Alpha emission presents in active galaxies at high redshift. Additionally, I will discuss how it can be used to identify and characterize galactic scale outflows as well as their overall impact on their hosts through recent MUSE observations of powerful radio galaxies.