Related papers: The HST Large Programme on Omega Centauri -- VII. …
Omega Centauri is the most massive and chemically complex multi-population globular cluster with a wide metallicity range that has been extensively studied photometrically and spectroscopically. Using the wide metallicity range of omega…
NGC 6397 is one of the most interesting, well observed and theoretically studied globular clusters. The existing wealth of observations allows us to study the reliability of the theoretical white dwarf cooling sequences of low metallicity…
Recent, high precision photometry of Omega Centauri, the biggest Galactic globular cluster, has been obtained with Hubble Space Telescope. The color magnitude diagram reveals an unexpected bifurcation of colors in the main sequence (MS).…
I explore the current ability of both white dwarf cooling theory and main sequence stellar evolution theory to accurately determine stellar population ages by comparing ages derived using both techniques for open clusters ranging from 0.1…
We present parallax observations and a detailed model atmosphere analysis of 54 cool and ultracool ($T_{\rm eff}$ < 4000 K) white dwarfs (WDs) in the solar neighbourhood. For the first time, a large number of cool and ultracool WDs have…
We describe a new multi-colour proper motion survey for cool white dwarfs (CWDs). The observational database consists of ~300 digitally scanned Schmidt plates in ESO/SERC field 287. The entire survey procedure, from the raw Schmidt plate…
As part of a large investigation with Hubble Space Telescope to study the faintest stars within the globular cluster Omega Centauri, in this work we present early results on the multiplicity of its main sequence (MS) stars, based on deep…
We present new observations of the white dwarf sequence of the old open cluster NGC 6791. The brighter peak previously observed in the white dwarf luminosity function (WDLF) is now better delineated, and the second, fainter peak that we…
As part of an investigation into the high mass end of the initial mass-final mass relation we performed a search for new white dwarf members of the nearby (172.4 pc), young (80-90 Myr) $\alpha$ Persei open star cluster. The photometric and…
Recently, a new class of white dwarfs (``slowly cooling WDs'') has been identified in the globular cluster M13. The cooling time of these stars is increased by stable thermonuclear hydrogen burning in their residual envelope. These WDs are…
The observational signature of core crystallization of white dwarfs has recently been discovered. However, the magnitude of the crystallization-powered cooling delay required to match observed white dwarfs is larger than predicted by…
We report the discovery of an optical counterpart to a quiescent neutron star in the globular cluster Omega Centauri (NGC 5139). The star was found as part of our wide-field imaging study of Omega Cen using the Advanced Camera for Surveys…
We present HST observations that show a bifurcation of colors in the middle main sequence of the globular cluster Omega Centauri. We see this in three different fields, observed with different cameras and filters. We also present high…
We present results of a study of the central regions of NGC 6397 using Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys, focusing on a group of 24 faint blue stars that form a sequence parallel to, but brighter than, the more populated…
The white dwarf luminosity function of a stellar cluster will have a sharp truncation at a luminosity which is determined by the time since formation of the first white dwarfs in that cluster. Calculation of the dependence of this limiting…
[Abbreviated] We have investigated the color-magnitude diagram of Omega Centauri and find that the blue main sequence (bMS) can be reproduced only by models that have a of helium abundance in the range Y=0.35-$0.40. To explain the faint…
We combine F115W and F277W images collected with the Near Infrared Camera of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) with multi-band, multi-epoch Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of Omega Centauri to investigate its multiple stellar…
We present new diagnostics of white dwarf (WD) cooling sequences and luminosity functions (LFs) in the near-infrared (NIR) bands that will exploit the sensitivity and resolution of future extremely large telescopes. The collision-induced…
We use masses, radii, and luminosities of the detached eclipsing binary OGLEGC17 derived from photometric and spectroscopic observations to calculate the age and distance of the globular cluster omega Cen. Age versus turnoff mass and age…
We discuss the importance of pure hydrogen white dwarf atmosphere models with Ly-$\rm \alpha$ far red wing opacity in the analysis of the white dwarf cooling sequence of the globular cluster NGC 6397. Our recently improved atmosphere models…