The survey techniques for finding quasars in large areas of sky have developed rapidly in recent years. One can search for quasars in all wavelengths. The area of sky surveyed may be more than 1000 square degrees. The average density of quasar candidates down to magnitude 20 is about 20 per square degree. Therefore, more than 20 000 quasar candidates are waiting for further observation. The total number of confirmed quasars is currently about 5000. This paper gives a discussion of some of the physical properties of quasars, such as space distribution, luminosity function, clustering and redshift limit.

The Modern Laplacian Theory (Prentice 1978) of the origin of the solar system assumes a non-dissipative model of supersonic turbulence and the existence of stable rings left behind during the contraction of the proto-Sun. We show by numerical simulation that the turbulence is highly dissipative and the rings are unstable. As a result of the instability the rings spread and interact with the proto-Sun. The rings therefore cannot form in the way Prentice has proposed.

III Zw 35 is a pair of galaxies characterised by intense OH maser emission, and powerful far-infrared and radio continuum. We have made a detailed study of the galaxy pair based on optical, infrared and radio observations. The brighter northern component is identified as a LINER or Seyfert galaxy and contains an active nuclear region from which radio continuum, OH maser and thermal dust emission are detected. We propose that the northern component has a compact active nucleus deeply embedded in an obscured region of diameter ~ 210 pc within which enhanced star-formation occurs. The lower luminosity, southern component is of low mass and is undergoing starburst activity over an extended region of diameter ~ 5.5 kpc. The origin of the starburst and non-thermal activity appears to be an interaction between the two components.

Observations of the large-scale organisation of matter in the Universe are of great importance in present day astronomy. In the visible part of the spectrum such observations are mainly of the distribution of galaxies on the plane of the sky.

Direct and objective prism plates obtained using large Schmidt telescopes form the bulk of the material used. The direct plates provide the observations from which the surface distribution of galaxies may be determined and the prism plates and FLAIR, via redshifts, yield extragalactic distances and hence the three dimensional distribution of galaxies.

For large-scale surveys the measuring machines used need to be multi-purpose and fast such as COSMOS and SUPER-COSMOS at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. More specific programs can make use of smaller, slower machines such as iris photometers and microdensitometers.

The method of analysing the data produced rely on seeking density enhancements in the general field of galaxies for cluster detection or using correlation techniques for analysis of the galaxy distribution.

A description is given of a southern sky catalogue containing 109 objects recently completed and an outline of some of the extragalactic projects underway using this large body of data.

The Japanese National Large Telescope is an 8-metre class optical-infrared reflector with a monolithic thin meniscus mirror, to be constructed at the Mauna Kea summit, Hawaii. The JNLT will be characterised by high quality performance in the optical and infrared regions, achieved by adopting new technologies such as active mirror support, fast optics and a thermally controlled dome. In particular, high infrared qualities are regarded as the most important characteristics among various design goals.

The JNLT project is now close to the final study phase before construction. This paper reviews the scientific motivations and the special technical features of the JNLT. Finally, the promotion of international collaboration around the JNLT is emphasised.

During 1990 we surveyed the southern sky using a multi-beam receiver at frequencies of 4850 and 843 MHz. The half-power beamwidths were 4 and 25 arcmin respectively. The finished surveys cover the declination range between +10 and −90 degrees declination, essentially complete in right ascension, an area of 7.30 steradians. Preliminary analysis of the 4850 MHz data indicates that we will achieve a five sigma flux density limit of about 30 mJy. We estimate that we will find between 80 000 and 90 000 new sources above this limit. This is a revised version of the paper presented at the Regional Meeting by the first four authors; the surveys now have been completed.

The first QSO with a redshift z > 4 was found using a combination of UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST) plates and the APM automatic plate measuring machine (Warren et al. 1987a). By continuing to make use of UKST survey plates plus the APM facility we have added substantially to the number of known QSOs with z > 4. A brief description of the general survey technique is presented together with a preliminary discussion of some of the results obtained so far.

Following a 1989 USA conference on Astrophysics from Antarctica, a number of proposals have been advanced to exploit the great astronomical potential of this region. The most interesting is for an international station at a new site chosen for optimum astronomical performance. Near the highest point of the ice plateau (where the pressure altitude is about 5000 m), the extremely dry cold atmosphere will allow effective observation through many wavelength ranges currently inaccessible from the ground. There is also reason to believe that better seeing than is otherwise obtainable from the Earth’s surface may be achievable. Astronomers interested in future Antarctic observing should co-operate in presenting cases to their governments for support facilities there.

The multi-object spectroscopic facility FOCAP at the Anglo-Australian Telescope has been used to obtain spectra centred at the Ca II IR triplet of 14 stars in the field of the Sextans dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy. This satellite of our own Galaxy was recently discovered by Irwin et al. (1990) from APM measures of UK Schmidt Telescope photographic plates.

This paper describes some of the space science programs currently underway and planned in Japan.

An accretion disc becomes warped when subjected to a torque which is misaligned with the disc plane. Such torques may be caused by Lense-Thirring precession near a spinning compact object, or the quadrupole field of a binary star. Here the flow in an adiabatic warped disc is modelled as a two-dimensional shear layer with linear velocity profile and free surface boundary conditions, and is investigated by means of a linear stability analysis.

The flow is found to be unstable whenever it contains a critical layer, i.e., a level at which the shear velocity is equal to the phase velocity. The instability occurs over a broad wavenumber range and has a typical dimensionless growth rate ≈ 0.1 for both the compressible and incompressible cases. These waves grow with a time-scale of about one orbital period, and are likely to have a major effect on the disc viscosity.

New radio and optical telescopes installed in recent years in China are summarised. These include the 2.16-m optical telescope, the solar magnetic field telescope, the Miyun synthesis radio telescope, the 1.26-m infrared telescope (Beijing Astronomical Observatory), the 25-m radio telescope as the first station of China’s VLBI network, the 1.56-m astrometric telescope (Shanghai Observatory), and the 13.7-m millimetre wave radio telescope.

This paper discusses opportunities for collaboration in astronomy among the countries of the Asian–Pacific region.

This paper presents the current status of a Ph.D. project undertaken to search for extended-scale bursts of star formation (> 1 kpc) in irregular and collisionally produced ring galaxies, principally in the southern half of the sky. Results of recent 8.4 GHz radio continuum observations and UBVRI CCD imaging of some of the program galaxies are presented.

This paper discusses several aspects of radio emission and star formation in dwarf galaxies.

There has been a dramatic increase in astronomical research output in New Zealand over the last decade. This is set to increase with the advent of a number of new pieces of astronomical hardware over the last five years. These include the 1m telescope and associated instrumentation at Mount John and the JANZOS collaboration, with its instrumentation on Black Birch. Black Birch is also the site of the US Naval Observatory’s southern hemisphere astrometric station, where, using a transit circle instrument, they are collecting data which will form part of the International Reference Star Catalogue. As well as these ‘professional’ programs there is also a large network of amateur astronomers, who can provide extremely useful input into certain astronomical programs at the various observatories around the country and the world.

A brief overview of the existing New Zealand astronomical scene will be followed by discussion of a number of new initiatives being proposed, which includes an automatic patrol telescope being developed by Carter Observatory, an expansion of the JANZOS collaboration and initial discussion about the possibility of an eastern arm for the Australia Telescope some where in New Zealand. In addition, for programs which require a long timebase of observations, extreme southerly latitudes or longitudinal coverage, New Zealand could provide a unique opportunity.

A high-resolution image of the strong extragalactic source 1343–601 has been made with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) at 843 MHz. The source is identified with a 10 mag galaxy (Mv = −24) which is heavily obscured through our Galaxy. A recent redshift (z = 0.01215) gives a distance of 73 Mpc and a corresponding radio luminosity of log P843 = 24.9.

The MOST image shows a core linked by a double jet to asymmetric lobes which are surrounded by a confined balloon (400 × 200 kpc2) of low-brightness plasma. This has a complex network of ridges or flows which lead out into the wider cluster medium. If similar balloons exist around other double sources, they could provide the depolarising medium required by the Laing-Garrington effect.

Separate observations show the core is compact with strong X-ray emission.

This paper discusses the role of the planetarium as an indispensable means of teaching astronomy and as an increasingly popular way of teaching science.

Surface photometry of the elliptical galaxy NGC 1700 is presented and discussed in terms of providing evidence for warping of the outer isophotes in elliptical galaxies.

This paper discusses the importance of having a structured approach to educating the general public in astronomy. It outlines the role schools, planetaria and national observatories must play in this process. It also addresses the question of how astronomical events are best exploited to activate the public’s interest in astronomy.