A NLTE-analysis is presented of high S/N spectra of the optical component of the standard massive X-ray binary Vela X-1. In combination with the orbital parameters we conclude that the optical star is highly helium enriched and is significantly overluminous compared to standard evolutionary tracks of massive accretion stars. We then propose a new

We have undertaken high resolution spectroscopy and IR photometry of the extended planetary nebula Sh 2-71. As a consequence, we note evidence for a discoidal expanding emission region size about 100 arcsec, tilted to the line of sight, and enveloping a core high-excitation source associated with velocities about +/- 500 km/s. Both NIR and optical

We describe work that has recently been completed on deriving the fundamental parameters of eight WR stars through the photoionization modelling of their surrounding nebulae using non-LTE WR flux distributions. The resulting effective temperatures range from 57 000 71 000 K for the WN4-5 stars and

We describe the work carried out to obtain observational evidence of a local relation between the temperature and the magnetic field in different regions of several sunspots. Information about the temperature is extracted from the continuum intensity. The magnetic field is deduced by using the Stokes V profile of lines with different excitation

IAUC 5733 available at Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams. IAUC 5733 available at Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.

We present results of a five month spectroscopic monitoring campaign of the Seyfert-1 galaxy NGC 3516. Using a new calibration method and applying a correction for seeing differences during the various observations we can scale the spectra to each other with a much higher accuracy than hitherto achieved. NGC 3516 shows large amplitude variations on