Abstract. While recent sky surveys have uncovered large numbers of ever fainter Milky Way satellites, their classification as star clusters, low-luminosity galaxies, or tidal overdensities remains often unclear. Likewise, their contributions to the build-up of the halo is yet debated. In this contribution we will discuss the current knowledge of the stellar populations and chemo-dynamics in these puzzling satellites, with a particular focus on dwarf spheroidal galaxies and the globular clusters in the outer Galactic halo. Also the question of whether some of the outermost halo objects are dynamically associated with the (Milky Way) halo at all is addressed in terms of proper measurements in the remote Leo I and II dwarf galaxies.

Aims. We analyze new multicolor light curves and recently published radial velocity curves for close binaries QX And, RW Com, MR Del, and BD +07 • 3142 to determine the physical parameters of the components. Methods. The light curves are analyzed using a binary star model based on Roche geometry to fit the photometric observations. Spectroscopic parameters, such as the mass ratios and spectral types, were taken from recent spectroscopic studies of the systems in question. Results. Our findings provide consistent and reliable sets of stellar parameters for the four studied binary systems. Of particular interest is the BD +07 • 3142 system, since this is the first analysis of its light curves. We find that it is an overcontact binary of W UMa type and W subtype, and that each component has a large cool spot in the polar region. QX And is an A subtype, and RW Com a W subtype W UMa binary, and in both systems we find a bright spot in the neck region between the components. MR Del is a detached binary with a complex light curve that we could model with two cool spots on the hotter component.

We determine the elemental abundances of nine red giant stars belonging to Palomar 14 (Pal 14). Pal 14 is an outer halo globular cluster (GC) at a distance of ∼70 kpc. Our abundance analysis is based on high-resolution spectra and one-dimensional stellar model atmospheres. We derived the abundances for the iron peak elements Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, the α-elements O, Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, the light odd element Na, and the neutron-capture elements Y, Zr, Ba, La, Ce, Nd, Eu, Dy, and Cu. Our data do not permit us to investigate light element (i.e., O to Mg) abundance variations. The neutron-capture elements show an r-process signature. We compare our measurements with the abundance ratios of inner and other outer halo GCs, halo field stars, GCs of recognized extragalactic origin, and stars in dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs). The abundance pattern of Pal 14 is almost identical to those of Pal 3 and Pal 4, the next distant members of the outer halo GC population after Pal 14. The abundance pattern of Pal 14 is also similar to those of the inner halo GCs, halo field stars, and GCs of recognized extragalactic origin, but differs from what is customarily found in dSphs field stars. The abundance properties of Pal 14, as well as those of the other outer halo GCs, are thus compatible with an accretion origin from dSphs. Whether or not GC accretion played a role, it seems that the formation conditions of outer halo GCs and GCs in dSphs were similar.