Using a sample of 29 bipolar Planetary Nebulae (BPNe) we show correlations between the luminosity and SED shape with the inclination to the line of sight of the objects polar axes. The presence of an equatorial “doughnut” of material around the central object can explain both these correlations and also and the bipolar shape.

Circumstellar emission in the Na I and K I resonance lines has been detected from three carbon stars using high-resolution spectroscopy. Some properties of the circumstellar envelopes are discussed.

We present narrow band images and spectra illustrating the morphological and kinematical characteristics of a new class of planetary nebulae. It consists of all those objects in the catalogue by Schwarz et al. (1992) whose morphology shows no other symmetries than point–reflection about the central source. This peculiar shape is often determined by pairs of ansae or blobs separated from the central body of the nebula. The kinematical data show both low (e.g. IC 4634) and high (He 2–186; Vexp > 135 km s−1) velocity outflows.

Using the data from the catalogue of PNe images of Schwarz et al. (1992), we have classified 255 nebulae into 5 morphological groups. The images were taken through a filter centred on the Hα line and included the [NII]6583 line. Most of the observations were made with the 3.5m ESO NTT during commissioning time. The main groups are called: stellar (st), irregular (i), elliptical (e), bipolar (b), and point-symmetric (p). The ellipticals are subdivided into: simple (e), multiple event (em), and inner structure (es) types. The bipolars into: simple (b), and multiple event (bm). The point-symmetric objects into: simple (p), and multiple events (pm).

A high resolution spectroscopy survey of symbiotic stars is conducted in the southern hemisphere by the authors, using the Coudé Echelle Spectrograph (CES), equipped with a CCD at the ESO Coudé Auxiliary Telescope (CAT), and concurrently in the northern hemisphere by Bode, Evans, Meaburn and collaborators, using the UK facilities at La Palma. So far, more than 400 spectra of about 70 stars have been obtained, mostly during 1988 and 1989. The southern part of the work will be described below.

The discussion of symbiotic stars in the context of novae is not far-fetched. A number of symbiotics are known to have nova-like outbursts, and several novae are not easily distinguished from symbiotic stars. A noteworthy example is the most recently recognized recurrent nova, V745 Sco, first observed by Liller on July 24, 1989. It is described here, both because in late decline it represents a link between novae and symbiotic stars, and because of its current interest.

We present preliminary statistical results of an ongoing polarimetric survey of symbiotics. So far, 38% of the known symbiotics have had their polarization measured at least once. About 40% of S and D types show some intrinsic polarization while only one of the five measured D’ types is polarized. R Aqr is still the only symbiotic with strong, variable polarization.

A 2-dimensional classification system for symbiotic stars based on the 5007/4861 and 3727/5007 line ratios adapted from the method of Baldwin et al.(1981) is presented. It is shown that a simple measurement suffices to classify stars and no reddening has to be taken into account. Symbiotics fall into 2 distinct classes in the line ratio plot. The dusty and S types. Neither type coincides with either the planetary nebulae or the HII region locus. The highest excitation is found for the dusty types. The two dimensional distribution can be interpreted as evolutionary, the more evolved Mira containing symbiotics lying closer to the PN locus. The fact that there are few D, D’ type symbiotics would indicate that the phase between Mira and PN is short.

Optical spectroscopy is used to derive the electron temperature and density of the jet of R Aqr. We present polarimetric data which shows that the degree of polarization in R Aqr can vary by up to two orders of magnitude and that this variation is correlated with the phase of the Mira. The polarization angle also varies with the phase of observation.