THE MILKY WAY GALAXY The study of the main components of our
Galaxy (Disks, Halo, Bulge, Clusters) is of the uttermost
importance to understand the formation and evolution of external
galaxies. It is only in our Galaxy that the properties of the
different components can be studied in great detail.
Observations of the chemical and kinematical properties of
samples of stars belonging to halo and thick disk, the discovery
of extremely metal poor stars, the detailed study of Globular
clusters, allow to define the properties of the oldest galactic
populations and the different merging and accretion processes
that affected our Galaxy during its evolution. This include the
derivation of accurate age and metallicity for stars and
globular clusters and the study of the role of stellar internal
mixing from anomalous chemical compositions. The discovery of
multiple populations in Globular Clusters represents a key
ingredient fot the definition of their formation and evolution.
The Galactic Bulge has been studied by dedi