We present VR observations of QSO 2237+0305 conducted by the Gravitational Lensing International Time Project collaboration from 1999 October 1 to 2000 February 3. The observations were made with the 2.56 m Nordic Optical Telescope at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, La Palma (Spain). The point-spread function (PSF) fitting method and an adapted

We use long-slit spectroscopy along the major axis of a sample of 23 nearby disk galaxies to study the kinematic properties of the ionized-gas component in their inner regions. For each galaxy, we derive the position-velocity diagram of the ionized gas from its emission lines. We discuss the variety of shapes observed in such position-velocity

This Letter presents wide-field optical and near-IR (UBVRIHαK') images of the galaxy M74 that were taken between 0.6 and 8.3 yr before the discovery of the Type Ic supernova 2002ap. We have located the position of the supernova on these images with an accuracy of 0.3". We find no sign of a progenitor object on any of the images. The deepest of

We have investigated the formation of globular cluster (GC) systems in the fiducial semi-analytic model of galaxy formation of Cole et al., by assuming that GCs are formed at high redshifts (z>5) in protogalactic fragments, and during the subsequent gas-rich merging of these fragments. Under these assumptions we have simulated the GC systems of 450

The proto-planetary nebula Hen 3-1475 shows a remarkable highly collimated optical jet with a S-shaped string of shock-excited knots. Moreover, extremely high velocities have been observed in the innermost regions of its jet. We present a detailed analysis of the kinematic structure, and the excitation conditions in the shock-excited knots based on

We present near-IR spectroscopy of a sample of 30 IRAS sources recently identified as late AGB stars, post-AGB stars or early PNe. The spectra obtained are centered at various wavelengths covering the molecular hydrogen v=1-> 0 S(1) 2.122 mu m and v=2->1 S(1) 2.248 mu m emission lines, the recombination lines of hydrogen Brgamma 2.166 mu m, Pfgamma