Using the Coudé Echelle Spectrograph fed by the 1.4 m Coudé Auxiliary Telescope at ESO, La Silla, the authors have obtained a sequence of fourteen high resolution (λ/Δλ = 105) spectra at high signal to noise ratio, of main sequence and near main sequence objects in the wavelength range containing the 6708 Å resonance doublet of lithium. Using

We derive atmospheric parameters and lithium abundances for 671 stars and include our measurements in a literature compilation of 1381 dwarf and subgiant stars. First, a "lithium desert" in the effective temperature (T eff) versus lithium abundance (A Li) plane is observed such that no stars with T eff ~= 6075 K and A Li ~= 1.8 are found. We

We present a new estimate of the lithium abundance in the atmosphere of the brown dwarf LP944-20. Our analysis is based on a self-consistent analysis of low-, intermediate- and high-resolution optical and near-infrared spectra. We obtain logN(Li) = 3.25 +/- 0.25 using fits of our synthetic spectra to the LiI resonance line doublet profiles observed

High-resolution spectra (range 655-675 nm) are presented of the pre-main sequence triple system UX Tau. Favorable seeing conditions allowed detection of the spectra of the faintest component, where detection of the H-alpha and the Li-I 670.7 nm feature are reported. An estimate of effective temperature, luminosity, and mass leads to the conclusion

Models of galaxy formation predict that gas accretion from the cosmic web is a primary driver of star formation over cosmic history. Except in very dense environments where galaxy mergers are also important, model galaxies feed from cold streams of gas from the web that penetrate their dark matter halos. Although these predictions are unambiguous

The LOFT mission concept is one of four candidates selected by ESA for the M3 launch opportunity as Medium Size missions of the Cosmic Vision programme. The launch window is currently planned for between 2022 and 2024. LOFT is designed to exploit the diagnostics of rapid X-ray flux and spectral variability that directly probe the motion of matter