Several catalogues of radio sources at 408 MHz have been prepared from observations made with the Molonglo cross telescope. These include (in chronological order) ‘The Molonglo Radio Source Catalogue 1’, the MC1, by Davies et al. (1973), the MC2 and MC3 by Sutton et al. (1974), MC4 by Clarke et al. (1976), ‘The Molonglo Deep Sky Survey of Radio Sources’ by Robertson (1977a,b,d) and ‘The Molonglo Reference Catalogue of Radio Sources’ (MRC) by Large et al. (1981). The catalogues MC1-4 cover selected areas of sky to a flux density limit of ~0.2 Jy to 0.3 Jy. The MRC includes extragalactic radio sources between δ = +18° and δ = −85° and is essentially complete at S408 = 1.00 Jy with raany sources to ˜0.7 Jy. The Wyllie (1969a,b) scale of flux density is used throughout.

This is the second of a series of papers presenting detailed optical spectra for QSOs and strong-emission-line galaxies identified with radio sources from a selected area (−15° to −23° in declination) of the Molonglo Reference Catalogue (MRC: Large et al. 1981). The catalogue is complete to 1 Jy at 408 MHz although it contains many weaker sources. First results were reported by Hunstead et al. (1978, Paper I) and a summary was given by Hunstead (1979). Results have also been given by White et al. (1980) for spectra of QSOs identified with radio sources to a much deeper level of 88 mJy from a small strip within the larger selected area.

Savage et al. (1977) found that the radio source PKS 1448-232 coincided with a stellar object of about magnitude 16.4 having an ultraviolet excess. A low resolution spectrum obtained with the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) confirmed this object as a QSO with zem = 2.22 and revealed many absorption lines short-ward of the La emission. Consequently this object was included in a programme of spectroscopy at intermediate resolution with the AAT to investigate QSO absorption lines. Savage et al. have given a finding chart with an optical position of 14h48m09s.3, −23°17′10″ (1950.0). The radio fluxes are 0.40 Jy at 2.7 GHz and 0.31 Jy at 5.0 GHz.

For many reasons, it is important to have a sound body of reliable photometry for the globular clusters in the Milky Way galaxy. Given the striking appearance of the globular clusters and their historical and astrophysical interest, it is perhaps surprising that the available photoelectric photometry for globular clusters is of mixed quality (see Harris and Racine 1979). Here I present a homogeneous body of photometry through a single aperture and in the UBV system for 31 globular clusters south of declination +12°.

In this paper we present maps showing the distribution of HCO+ (J= 1→0 transition at 89.18855 GHz) in the direction of NGC 6334 as a function of radial velocity, lhe observations were carried out in May-June 1979 as part of a larger program of HCO+ observations (Batchelor et al. 1980, 1981) using the Epping 4-m millimetre-wave radio telescope.

Mare than 100 symbiotic stars are now known. A catalogue of them, complete to 1984 January 1, is presented. Finding charts are given for all examples, and optical spectra for the majority. A table summarises the observational material at X-ray, ultraviolet, infrared and radio wavelengths.

Although scientific astronomy has a long and illustrious history in Australia, it was not until 1895 that the first astronomical society was formed. This was the New South Wales Branch of the British Astronomical Association (see B.A.A. 1894-5; Gale 1895a,b), and before the end of the century it was joined by others in Melbourne and Brisbane (B.A.A. 1897-8; Editor’s Note 1979; Ellery 1901:13; Thomson 1897). These societies and their predecessors, the Astronomy Branches of the Royal Societies of New South Wales and South Australia (Waters 1980), were the mainstay of astronomical activity – both professional and amateur – in nineteenth century Australia, providing as they did regular meetings, library facilities, and avenues for publication and celestial observation.