Astronomical techniques and observing strategies are presented with a particular emphasis on currently available professional telescopes of the European Southern Observatory.

The physics of solar flares, coronal mass ejections and the solar wind and how they are triggered and transport through the solar system is described. The impact of the Sun's activity and its activity cycle on the Earth and our technology will be outlined. The students will use real spacecraft data in the exercise classes to track space weather events and their impact.

The physics of solar flares, coronal mass ejections and the solar wind will be described. A discussion of the similarities and differences to stellar flares and coronal mass ejections will follow. An introduction to the detection and characterization of extrasolar planets, the impact of stellar phenomena on exoplanets and in particular on their potential habitability will be given.