We have obtained intermediate resolution optical spectra of the black-hole candidate Nova Sco 1994 in 1996 June, when the source was in an X-ray/optical active state (R~15.05). We measure the radial velocity curve of the secondary star and obtain a semi-amplitude of 279+/-10kms-1 a value which is 30per cent larger than the value obtained when the

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We have obtained narrowband images and high-resolution spectra of the planetary nebulae NGC 6337, He 2-186, and K4-47 with the aim of investigating the relation between their main morphological components and several low-ionization features present in these nebulae. The data suggest that NGC 6337 is a bipolar PN seen almost pole-on, with polar

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We report the detection of a new H_2O megamaser in the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 348 with the MPIfR 100 m telescope in Effelsberg. With an apparent isotropic luminosity of L_H_2O =~ 420L_sun the maser is the third most luminous maser discovered so far. The detected line is unusually broad (Delta v =~ 130 km s-1), is redshifted by ~ 130 km s-1 from the