The nature of the ultra-luminous X-ray sources (ULXs) discovered in significant numbers in nearby galaxies by XMM and CXO continues to be a controversial topic. Interpreted simply as Eddington-limited accreting binaries implies compact object masses substantially in excess of those derived for typical galactic black-hole X-ray binaries. Whilst this

We propose a calibration plan for the GTC based on techniques similar to the ones used for space calibration. After studying the telescope and instrument requirements, and observing during intensive campaigns we have begun to prepare the GTC catalogue of standard stars. In this article we show the calibration strategy for the telescope and the

This paper presents semiempirical models of various solar magnetic structures, extending from the photosphere to the chromosphere. The models have been derived from non-LTE inversions of high-resolution spectropolarimetric observations of four Ca II and Fe I lines. The observed targets are dark and bright components of a sunspot umbra; dark and

Aims:In this paper we investigate the dependence of umbral core brightness, as well as the mean umbral and penumbral brightness on the phase of the solar cycle and on the size of the sunspot. Methods: Albregtsen & Maltby (1978, Nature, 274, 41) reported an increase in umbral core brightness from the early to the late phase of solar cycle from the

En esta tesis hemos realizado un estudio detallado de poblaciones estelares de galaxias elíptica en cúmulos de distinta masa. Nuestros resultados sugieren que las escalas de tiempo de formación de las estrellas en este tipo de galaxias dependen del entorno en el que se encuentran: las estrellas de galaxias de cúmulos masivos se forman más

Aims:We detected tertiary components of close binaries from spectroscopy and light curve modelling, investigated the light-travel time effect and the possibility of magnetic activity cycles, measured mass ratios for unstudied systems, and derived absolute parameters. Methods: We carried out new photometric and spectroscopic observations of five