We present the results of the analysis of the first black hole confirmed with GTC in the X-ray binary system XTE J1859+226. By combining optical photometry taken with the INT, WHT and NOT with long-slit spectroscopy with OSIRIS+GTC, we have obtained an orbital period of 6.58 h, a secondary star radial velocity amplitude of K_2=541±70 km s^-1 and an

Bars are strong drivers of secular evolution in disk galaxies. Bars themselves can evolve secularly through angular momentum transport, producing different boxy/peanut and X-shaped bulges. Our Milky Way is an example of a barred galaxy with a boxy bulge. We present a self-consistent N-body simulation of a barred galaxy which matches remarkably well

We show the effects of environmental evolution on Virgo cluster and field dwarf elliptical galaxies (dEs), presenting the first large-scale integral-field spectroscopic data for this galaxy class. The great variety of morphological, kinematic, and stellar population parameters seen in our data supports the claim that dEs are defunct dwarf spiral

We present the XMM-Newton X-ray analysis of RX J1720.1+2638 and Abell 267, a non-fossil and a fossil system, respectively. The whole spectrum of both objects can be explained by thermal emission. The luminosities found for RX J1720.1+2638 and Abell 267 in the 2-10 keV band are 6.20+0.04-0.02{×}1044 and 3.90+0.10-0.11{×}1044 erg s-1, respectively

The observations were carried out between 2009 June 20 and August 20 in service mode with the ESO VLT instrument FORS2 at UT1 (Antu). FORS2 is a focal reducer multimode instrument that can be used for optical imaging, polarimetry, long-slit and multi-object spectroscopy. (1 data file).

Despite its importance for understanding the nature of early stellar generations and for constraining Galactic bulge formation models, at present little is known about the metal-poor stellar content of the central Milky Way. This is a consequence of the great distances involved and intervening dust obscuration, which challenge optical studies