We present XMM-Newton observations of the black hole X-ray nova V404 Cyg in quiescence. Its quiescent spectrum can be best fitted by a simple power law with slope Γ~2. The spectra are consistent with that expected for the advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF). V404 Cyg was roughly equal in luminosity compared to the previous observation of

On the basis of astrometric and spectroscopic data we argue that the ultramassive white dwarf GD 50 is associated with the star formation event that created the Pleiades and is potentially a former cluster member. Its cooling time (˜60Myrs) is consistent with it having evolved essentially as a single star from a M>6M&sun; progenitor so there

We report the discovery of a low-mass (0.26 +/- 0.02, 0.15 +/- 0.01Msolar) pre-main-sequence (PMS) eclipsing binary (EB) with a 5.3d orbital period. JW 380 was detected as part of a high-cadence time-resolved photometric survey (the Monitor project) using the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope and Wide Field Camera for a survey of a single field in the

We discuss some of our current knowledge of the mass distribution of DA and non-DA stars using various methods for measuring white dwarf masses including spectroscopic, trigonometric parallax, and gravitational redshift measurements, with a particular emphasis on the problems encountered at the low end of the cooling sequence where energy transport

The physical interpretation of the spectral line polarization produced by the joint action of the Hanle and Zeeman effects offers a unique opportunity to obtain empirical information about hidden aspects of solar and stellar magnetism. To this end, it is important to achieve a complete understanding of the sensitivity of the emergent spectral line

A promising approach to decrease the uncertainties in the initial--final mass relationship, which is still poorly constrained, is to study white dwarfs for which external constraints are available, for instance, white dwarfs in common proper motion pairs (CPMPs). Important information of the white dwarf can be inferred from the study of the