Milky Way and Local Group

MAS is delving into the structure, origin, and evolution of the Milky Way and other galaxies within the Local Group. To accomplish this, MAS takes the lead and participates in ongoing and future surveys such as VVV, Araucaria, CRTS, SkyMapper, and LSST. Its primary objectives are as follows: (1) Define the 3D structure of the Milky Way, using tools like RR Lyrae and Cepheids discovered during the VVV survey; (2) Measure the stellar orbits within our galaxy through radial velocities and proper motions; (3) Determine the chemical abundance of stars in the Milky Way's different components through detailed spectroscopic observations, including involvement in surveys like APOGEE and the Gaia-ESO Spectroscopic Survey; (4) Establish distances to other galaxies in the Local Group, once again utilizing pulsating stars like Cepheids and RR Lyrae as reliable distance indicators.