We discuss the method, and potential systematic effects therein, used for measuring the mass of stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries. We restrict our discussion to the method that relies on the validity of Kepler's laws; we refer to this method as the dynamical method. We briefly discuss the implications of the mass distribution of stellar

Aims: Amongst more than fifty blazars detected in very high energy (VHE, E> 100 GeV) γ rays, only three belong to the subclass of flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs). The detection of FSRQs in the VHE range is challenging, mainly because of their soft spectra in the GeV-TeV regime. MAGIC observed PKS 1510-089 (z = 0.36) starting 2012 February 3

The dissolution of fullerene C60 in oleum (fuming sulphuric acid 20 % free SO3) was followed simultaneously with ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) and NIR (Near Infrared Spectroscopy). It is shown that the intensity of the ESR signal associated to the formation of C60 radical cation (C60+•) follows the same kinetics as the NIR absoption band at about

We describe a search for submillimeter emission in the vicinity of one of the most distant, luminous galaxies known, HerMES FLS3, at z = 6.34, exploiting it as a signpost to a potentially biased region of the early universe, as might be expected in hierarchical structure formation models. Imaging to the confusion limit with the innovative, wide

A precision measurement by AMS of the positron fraction in primary cosmic rays in the energy range from 0.5 to 500 GeV based on 10.9 million positron and electron events is presented. This measurement extends the energy range of our previous observation and increases its precision. The new results show, for the first time, that above ∼200 GeV the

Context. We analyzed spectropolarimetric data recorded with Hinode/SP in quiet-Sun regions located at the disk center. We found single-lobed Stokes V profiles showing highly blue- and red-shifted signals. Oftentimes both types of events appear to be related to each other. Aims: We aim to set constraints on the nature and physical causes of these