Five semi-detached systems have been identified having detached components with spectral types G or K. These stars form a sequence having temperature decreasing with increasing mass, in contrast to the “classical” Algols with hotter detached components having properties roughly approximating those of detached main sequence stars. The status of the cool Algols is discussed briefly. A second group of 3 detached components in Algols is identified having higher temperatures than main sequence stars of the same mass.

We study the general version of the inverse problem for planar trajectories and for autonomous dynamical systems possessing three integrals, i.e., for a given three-parametric family of curves f(x,y,a,b)=c we find the potential V(x,y) for which these curves are orbits of a unit mass. All possible cases, depending on the preassigned function f, are classified and in each case the necessary and sufficient conditions for the.existence of a solution are established. Among the examples is the case of the Keplerian conic sections which is studied in detail.

We have observed 3 moderate redshift clusters using a combination of 7 intermediate band filters and 2 CCDs in order to derive photometric information for cluster galaxies from 400 nm to 900 nm. Preliminary results are presented for 2 clusters: Abell 1942 (z=0.224) and Abell 1525 (z=0.259) from 580 nm to 860 nm. The CCD photometry reaches a limit equivalent to RF=21 mag with a precision of better than 0.1 mag. The galaxy colours derived from the intermediate band measurements are generally consistent with those expected at the appropriate redshift. However, in Abell 1525, and to a lesser extent in Abell 1942, a large proportion of cluster members have far red (720–860 nm) colours redder than expected. Many of these galaxies have blue photographic BJ-RF colours. A possible explanation for the anomalous CCD colours is that these galaxies possess a strong emission line component which enters the far red filter at z=0.25.

We present a model for curved parsec-scale jets that includes most of the key radiation physics and relativity, but which is simple enough to allow an exploration of diverse geometries and flow parameters.

The planetary nebula NGC 6543 has been described (Curtis, 1918) as “quite irregular, of helical form”. Its high surface brightness and its dimensions (16′′ × 22′′ of arc) make it an ideal object for observation with the multislit technique used by Wilson (1950) to study other planetaries. In fact, had NGC 6543 been accessible to the 100-inch Mount Wilson Coudé, undoubtedly it would have been included in Wilson's survey. The interest in NGC 6543 arises from the fact that no information is available regarding the motions in a planetary nebula with some sort of helical appearance. The obvious question that arises in this respect is whether the nebular material is actually arranged in space on an open helix, rather than in a flat spiral. The related problems of its lifetime and stability also may be elucidated by studying in detail the internal motions.

The mixing and nucleosynthetic processes which occur in the main-sequence and red giant stages of evolution and which can affect measured PN abundances are discussed. It is suggested that samples of planetary nebulae contain a sufficient range of progenitor stars' initial metallicities, angular momenta, binarity, etc. so as to explain the large scatter always seen in abundance diagrams for PN samples. CNO abundances in the Galactic disk and in the Magellanic Clouds are reviewed. New results for nebular abundances and central star properties in the Clouds are given. The current red giant population in the Clouds mix out more 12C per star than their Galactic disk counterparts.

Low and intermediate mass stars leave the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) when the mass in their H-rich envelope is less than about 0.01 M⊙, and the high mass loss drops several orders of magnitude. The central star rapidly evolves to the left part of the HR diagram along a track of constant luminosity (e.g. Schönberner 1983). In principle the evolution of the central star to higher Teff and the expansion and cooling of the AGB remnant are easy to calculate. In practice several complicating factors arise which make it much more difficult to predict the morphology and properties of post-AGB stars, such as binarity, post-AGB mass loss and aspherical AGB mass loss. Binarity of post-AGB stars affects the morphology of the circumstellar environment, and it affects evolutionary timescales and surface chemical abundances of the components in the system. This review discusses some properties of binary post-AGB stars.

We used VLA and MERLIN observations of 4 FRI radio galaxies to study the radio jet properties in the inner kiloparsecs from the core. We present evidence for relativistic motion in the inner regions.

The luminous S Dor variables or Hubble-Sandage variables have gained considerable interest during the past few years for their exceptional (if compared to normal luminous hot stars) stellar wind properties. They seem to represent a short intermezzo in the evolution of the very massive stars prior to becoming WR stars. More recent results on S Dor variables (mainly of the LMC) are briefly summarized. Since most of the data have been or are going to be published elsewhere only an outline will be presented here.

Following a brief discussion of the possibilities offered by X-ray spectroscopy at various values of resolving power (E/ΔE), the spectroscopic capabilities of a number of future missions are presented. The possible roles of Charge Coupled Devices (CCD’s), Microcalorimeters, Diffraction Grating and Bragg Crystal Spectrometers are then evaluated.

We have found from line-of-sight integration of scattered light and thermal emission that the appearance of a hump in the F-corona, which was observed in the near-infrared wavelengths by Peterson (1969) and MacQueen (1968), is very sensitive to the change of size distribution of circumsolar dust grains. Namely, the size distribution affects the balance of scattered sunlight and thermal emission. We suggest that a temporal variation in the size distribution of circumsolar dust grains is a potential origin of the temporal variation of the hump structure observed in the F-corona.

After the report on flare stars presented by Ambartsumian and the author (1971) at the last Bamberg Colloquium, some success has been achieved in the study of these interesting objects.

Optical observations of stellar flares with high time-resolution undoubtedly proved the explosive character of this phenomenon and the non-thermal nature of the radiation that appears at least at the beginning of the flare. Parallel optical and radio observations of flares in stellar aggregates complicated the interpretation and showed how far we are from an understanding of the physical nature of this phenomenon. Finally, new optical observations of stellar flares in aggregates of different age confirmed the evolutionary significance of this stage in the life of a star and led to the study of certain regularities in the evolution of flare stars.

We have observed a complete sample of 21 nearby (D < 70h−1Mpc) Fanaroff & Riley Type I galaxies with HST/WFPC2 and detected dust disks and lanes in 19 of them. The radio jets are roughly perpendicular to the dust which is used to constrain the Doppler boosting factors of the radio jet and cores. The VLBA core flux correlates with the central Hα+[NII] flux which might indicate that the VLBA core is dominated by an isotropic component. Twelve galaxies show nuclear optical sources. We discuss various possible origins for this emission.

A new Edition of the Asiago Catalogue of QSOs (Barbieri et al. 1982) is available on magnetic tape. It contains essentially all the information of the previous editions updated with the papers published before Dec.31, 1984. The catalog should be essentially complete to that date in respect to objects having slit spectra (2330 objects), while it is seriously incomplete regarding candidates discovered by objective prism or grism/grens surveys after 1982 (279 such objects included in the present version).

Sandage (1986) showed what the star formation rate (SFR) of galaxies of different Hubble type might look like. His curves are based on the study of Gallagher et al. (1984), who determined the SFR at three different epochs of galactic evolution. Sandage's figure establishes a connection of SFR and Hubble type but, as was already mentioned by Sandage, it “contains no physics”. In order to explore the background of this connection, however, it is necessary either to improve the observations or to model the evolution of galaxies self-consistently. However, the results of modelling the SFR are not reliable, if simplified models are used, which only describe some structural properties of galaxies. It is necessary to apply self-consistent models which take into consideration all relevant interaction processes between the gaseous and stellar components of a galaxy. Such models can be checked by comparison with observations like density and abundance distributions, star-gas content, velocities, velocity dispersions, mass-luminosity relations and age distributions of stars. A detailed model will show, whether the initial conditions, the feedback mechanisms during the evolution or the environment determine the evolution of a galaxy.

Star-formation is one of the main processes that shape galaxies, and together with black-hole accretion activity the two agents of energy production in galaxies. It is important on a range of scales from star clusters/OB associations to galaxy-wide and even group/cluster scales. Recently, studies of star-formation in sub-galactic and galaxy-wide scales have met significant advances owing to: (a) developments in the theory of stellar evolution, stellar atmospheres, and radiative transfer in the interstellar medium; (b) the availability of more sensitive and higher resolution data; and (c) observations in previously poorly charted wavebands (e.g. Ultraviolet, Infrared, and X-rays). These data allow us to study more galaxies at ever-increasing distances and nearby galaxies in greater detail, and different modes of star formation activity such as massive star formation and low level continuous star formation in a variety of environments. In this contribution we summarize recent results in the fields of multi-wavelength calibrations of star-formation rate indicators, the Stellar Initial Mass function, and radiative transfer and modeling of the Spectrale Energy Disrtributions of galaxies.

We have been searching the northern sky for ultra-narrowband carriers of intelligent extraterrestrial origin at 21cm wavelength. The dual-polarization 65,536-channel receiver has a resolution bandwidth of 0.03Hz, matched to the Drake-Helou spreading of the interstellar medium. This maximizes signal/noise ratio, and simultaneously rejects carriers of terrestrial origin. The results of 15 months of observation are summarized.

Detection of narrow ( δλ< 0.5 A ) absorption features in C IV at λ λ 1548 and 1550 have been made in the spectra of 4 late B dwarfs within 200 pc of the sun; the Si IV doublet at λ λ 1393 and 1403 shows up in two of them. We argue that it is difficult to account for the strengths, widths, shapes , and C IV/Si IV ratios in terms consistent with a circumstellar origin except possibly for an asymmetric C IV component in one star (HD 135037). The most probable source is “semi-torrid” gas (cf. Bruhweiler et al. 1980) in the 50,000 K range forming the interfaces between cooler H I clouds and the ambient medium at coronal temperatures. Our technique, using late B rapid rotators, is useful for LISM probing of this kind.