Misner Thorne and Wheeler (1973), (page 629) suggested that a freshly formed White Dwarf star of several solar masses would, if slowly — rotating, collapse to form a neutron star pancake which would become unstable and eventually produce several, possibly colliding, neutron stars.

Spectra computed from hydrodynamical models for SN 1987A at very early times (t < 2 days) are presented and discussed.

EX Hya was one of the earliest detected eclipsing cataclysmic variables. The 98 min orbital period was first documented as a result of the spectroscopy of Kraft and Krzeminski (1962) and the photometry of Mumford (1964, 1967). However, new properties of this system continue to be discovered and these have required a more complex model than was previously envisaged.

In recent years observations of γ-ray emission from the disk of the galaxy have provided a new opportunity for research into the structure of the spiral arms of our own galaxy. In Figure 1 we show a map of the structure of the disk of the galaxy as observed for γ-rays of energy > 100 MeV by the SAS-2 satellite (Fichtel et al. 1975). The angular resolution of these measurements is ~ 3°, and besides two point sources at l = 190° and 265° several features related to the spiral structure of the galaxy are evident in the data. Most of these γ-rays are believed to arise from the decay of π° mesons produced by the nuclear interactions of cosmic rays (mostly protons) with the ambient interstellar gas. As a result, the γ-ray fluxes represent a measure of the line of sight integral of the product of the cosmic ray density N CR and the interstellar matter density N 1

Large solar radio outbursts at metre wavelengths often consist of a group of type III bursts followed a few minutes later by a type II burst; in both spectral types the intense burst radiation drifts towards lower frequencies with time (Figure 1).

The general perturbations of the asteroids of the Flora group (975″ < n < 1150″, n - the mean daily motion) due to Jupiter have been automatically computed on an IBM 4341 computer with the Hansen method by manipulating Broucke’s Symbolic Poisson Series Processor, and the results have been compared with that computed previously with the Bohlin group method.

It has recently been shown that the planet Mercury exerts a small control on relative sunspot numbers, the degree of control depending on the positions of the other planets.

This paper describes the results of extending the work to include all the planets.

As a working hypothesis we have assumed that gravitational tidal forces induced on the Sun by the planets may modulate solar activity and have accordingly calculated relative equilibrium ‘high tide’ displacements of the solar surface for each day from the positions, masses and distances of the first six planets. Although the tides are very slight, the mass of displaced material is appreciable and varies over the very wide range of nearly 5 to 1.

A total of 18 radio sources selected on the basis of steep low-frequency radio spectra have been searched for the presence of millisecond pulsars using the Molonglo Observatory synthesis telescope. The search covered pulsar periods down to 2 ms with a limiting sensitivity of approximately 10 mJy. No pulsars were detected.

In order to find the best observable diagnostics for the amount of internal extinction within spiral galaxies, we have constructed models for disk galaxies with immersed dust layers. The radiative transfer problem, including both scattering and pure absorption, has been computed for a range of model galaxies. This reveals a set of superior diagnostics for the opacity. These include the behaviour of the radial colour and luminosity distributions, the amplitude of the asymmetry between the near and far sides of the major axis, and their dependence on the orientation of the galaxy with respect to the observer.

The Narrabri Stellar Interferometer has been used to observe the binary stars α Virginis (April 1966) and γ 2 Velorum (January 1968).

An analysis has been made of events recorded in one year from the direction of the active galaxy Centaurus A using the Buckland Park UHE gamma-ray telescope. No statistically significant excess was observed over this period. Data collected between 1984 and 1989 show evidence for an excess of events from this direction at shower sizes in the range of 2 × 105 to 5 × 105 particles.

The star AB Dor (HD 36705) was first identified as an interesting object because of its strong Call H and K emission features (Bidelman and MacConnell 1973; Houk and Cowley 1975). It has a spectral class of G8 and appears to be a single star, since no radial velocity variations have thus far been detected, despite numerous attempts (e.g. Collier 1982; Innis et al. 1985a). Probably the most unusual and important feature about the star is its rapid rotational velocity, with a Vsini of 80 km s-1 (Collier 1982), which is more than 20 times that of a normal star of similar spectral class. AB Dor also shows a substantial photometric wave, commonly interpreted as indicating the presence of starspots. This wave has a typical amplitude of 0.05 to 0.15 magnitudes in V and a period of 0.514 days (e.g. Innis et al. 1985b). Combining this with the Vsini value gives a lower limit of 0.76 R⊙ for the stellar radius, while assuming the radius of a normal G8 dwarf yields an axial inclination of 60° ± 10°.

A new maser receiver, operating between 20 and 24 GHz and constructed by the radiometer group at the CSIRO Division of Radiophysics, was first scheduled for astronomical observations in December 1981. In good observing conditions the system temperature was as low as 60 K. In conjunction with the versatility of the 1024-channel correlator and the large collecting area of the Parkes telescope (the central 37 m illuminated at 22 GHz yields a ratio of flux density to antenna temperature of 9∼ Jy K-1) the total system is a very powerful new tool. Here we report some observations of naturally occuring celestial H2O masers which we have studied with this system.

In an IAU Symposium report, Spiegel has made mention of the basic reasons for the astrophysical interest in the problem of non-linear convection of a horizontal fluid layer heated from below. Unfortunately the two important parameters of this problem—the Prandtl number P and the Rayleigh number R take on ‘extreme’ values in the astrophysical situation and this presents immediate difficulties as far as the numerical solution of the basic equations go.

A K-band (18-25 GHz) reflected-wave ruby maser (Moore and Clauss 1979) has been borrowed from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory for radio astronomy use on the NASA 64-m antenna of the Deep Space Network at the Tidbinbilla Tracking Station, near Canberra. The purpose of the installation is to provide additional sensitive spectral line, continuum, and VLBI capabilities in the southern hemisphere. Previous measurements at 22.3 GHz (λ = 13.5 mm) determined that the Tidbinbilla 64-m antenna has a peak aperture efficiency of ˜22%, a well-behaved beam shape and consistent pointing (Fourikis and Jauncey 1979). Before installing the maser on the antenna a cooled (circulator) switch was added to provide a beam-switching capability, and a spectral line receiver following the maser was incorporated. The system was assembled and tested at JPL in late 1980 and installed at Tidbinbilla early in 1981. We give here a brief description and present some of the first line observations made in February and March 1981. Extensive line and continuum observations are planned with the present system and a program is under way to determine the telescope pointing characteristics.