We have obtained medium resolution spectra of the neutron star X-ray transient Aql X-1 during quiescence. We determine the spectral type of the companion star to be K1 and also estimate its rotation speed to be 62(+30/-20) km/s. By measuring the width of the H-alpha emission line profile of the accretion disc, we estimate the binary inclination to

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Cygnus X-2 is one of the brightest and longest known X-ray sources. We present high resolution optical spectroscopy of Cyg X-2 obtained over 4 years which gives an improved mass function of 0.69 +/- 0.03 solar mass(1sigma). In addition, we resolve the rotationally broadened absorption features of the secondary star for the first time, deriving a

Four time series of IRIS data (4 to 6 months) have been used to obtain improved measurements of the low degree (l=1,2,3) rotational splitting frequencies. Assuming that the rotation law is known in the outer layers of the Sun, we investigate the implications of IRIS splittings for the central regions. Both a one-shell and a two-shell rotation model

A photoionization analysis of Hubble Space Telescope UV and ground-based optical spectrophotometry is given for eight more planetary nebulae (PNs) in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). This allows the central stars to be placed accurately on the H-R diagram and permits the determination of the He, C, N, O, Ne, S, and Ar abundances. In some cases

This paper presents the second part of an extensive study of the properties of the H II region population in a sample of spiral galaxies with active nucleus. This study comprises some 2000 H II regions, distributed in 27 out of the 55 galaxies in the original sample, observed in narrow-band H alpha CCD imaging. About 70% of these H II regions are