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We study the evolution of close binary systems in order to account for the existence of the recently observed binary system containing the most massive millisecond pulsar ever detected, PSR J0740+6620, and its ultra-cool helium white dwarf…

We present ESO-NTT low resolution spectroscopy of the neutron star X-ray transient Cen X-4 in quiescence over a complete orbital cycle. Our data reveal the presence of a K3-7 V companion which contributes 63% to the 5600-6900A flux and…

We report the discovery of 1RXH J082623.6-505741, a 10.4 hr orbital period compact binary. Modeling extensive optical photometry and spectroscopy reveals a $\sim 0.4 M_{\odot}$ K-type secondary transferring mass through a low-state…

Measuring the masses of companions to single-line spectroscopic binary stars is (in general) not possible because of the unknown orbital plane inclination. Even when the mass of the visible star can be measured, only a lower limit can be…

We present the identification of two previously known young objects in the solar neighbourhood as a likely very wide binary. TYC 9486-927-1, an active, rapidly rotating early-M dwarf, and 2MASS J21265040-8140293, a low-gravity L3 dwarf…

The measurement or constraint of the masses of neutron stars and their binary companions tests theories of neutron star structure and of pulsar formation and evolution. We have measured the rate of the general relativistic advance of the…

We report the discovery of a resolved (0".9) substellar companion to a member of the 1-5 Myr Taurus star-forming region. The host star (2M0437) is a single mid-M type ($T_{eff}\approx$3100K) dwarf with a position, space motion, and…

We report the discovery of the first likely black hole in a non-interacting binary system with a field red giant. By combining radial velocity measurements from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) with…

We present results from an adaptive optics survey for substellar and stellar companions to Sun-like stars. The survey targeted 266 F5-K5 stars in the 3Myr to 3Gyr age range with distances of 10-190pc. Results from the survey include the…

We present phase resolved optical spectroscopy and X-ray timing of the neutron star X-ray binary EXO 0748-676 after the source returned to quiescence in the fall of 2008. The X-ray light curve displays eclipses consistent in orbital period,…

We report spectroscopic observations of the star HIP 50796, previously considered (but later rejected) as a candidate member of the TW Hya association. Our measurements reveal it to be a single-lined binary with an orbital period of 570…

Six planetary nebulae (PN) are known in the Kepler space telescope field of view, three newly identified. Of the 5 central stars of PN with useful Kepler data, one, J193110888+4324577, is a short-period, post common envelope binary…

We aim to understand how stellar parameters such as mass and rotation impact the distribution of starspots on the stellar surface. To this purpose, we have used Doppler imaging to reconstruct the surface brightness distributions of three…

Stellar evolutionary models predict that most of the early type subdwarf stars in close binary systems have white dwarf companions. More massive companions, such as neutron stars or black holes, are also expected in some cases. The presence…

The archival spectrum of SDSS J212531.92-010745.9 shows not only the typical signature of a PG1159 star, but also indicates the presence of a companion. With time-series photometry of SDSS J212531.92-010745.9 during 10 nights, spread over…

I present an optical characterization of the Galactic X-ray transient source MAXI J1957$+$032. This system flares by a factor of $\gtrsim10^{4}$ every few-hundred days, with each flare lasting $\sim5$ days. I identify its quiescent…

In an effort to better understand the details of the stellar structure and evolution of metal poor stars, the Gemini North telescope was used on two occasions to take speckle imaging data of a sample of known spectroscopic binary stars and…

We use three field L and T dwarfs which were discovered to be wide companions to known stars by the Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) to derive a preliminary brown dwarf companion frequency. Observed L and T dwarfs indicate that brown…

We analyze two binary systems containing giant stars, V723 Mon ("the Unicorn") and 2M04123153+6738486 ("the Giraffe"). Both giants orbit more massive but less luminous companions, previously proposed to be mass-gap black holes. Spectral…

The bright K1 III-IV star gamma Cep has been reported previously to have a companion in a 2.5-yr orbit that is possibly substellar, and also has a stellar companion at a larger separation that has never been seen. Here we determine for the…