[en] The Thomsen and Frandsen (1983) cosmological test employing the observed correlation between elliptical galaxy surface brightness and scale size in order to avoid problems due to dynamical evolution is presently extended to make use of arbitrary galaxy samples. The explicit dependence on stellar evolution is also demonstrated. On the assumption that this evolution is calculable, an equation for the deceleration parameter entirely in terms of observables is derived. The test is applied to two available samples. 25 references

No abstract available

[en] The effects of peculiar velocities on the determination of the deceleration parameter q(0) from supernovae and other methods are discussed and the intrinsic errors are evaluated. A 'correctionless' method of estimating q(0) involves observing one low redshift and one higher redshift SN and comparing the redshifts. It is shown that the peculiar velocities of the parent galaxies relative to the Hubble flow and of the SN relative to the center of its galaxy induce considerable errors and that several hundred such observations will be needed to obtain q(0) to within satisfactory accuracy. These findings also apply to other correctionless methods

[en] The possibility of detecting more distant galaxies with deeper uv photographic plates than the usual deep B, V, or R plates is discussed, based on the red shifting of regions of high uv flux into the U band and the knowledge that the energy distributions of spiral galaxies rise sharply in the uv. The problem of whether distant galaxies fall within the limits of a plate is considered from published energy distributions. (U.K.)

[en] Dodd et al. have presented evidence based on angular diameter counts for deviations from homogeneity of the spatial distribution of galaxies. It is shown in this note that the evidence is so far not statistically significant. There is then little need, at present, to seek theoretical explanation for the deviations. (author)

[en] Broadband J-R colours have been obtained from COSMOS measurements of UKST plates, for a large sample of (approximately 20 000) galaxies, complete to limiting magnitude J = 21.5. The distribution of colours found is consistent with other studies. The modelling of this distribution shows that galaxies, in particular the later types, have bluer colours than are predicted by current models of galaxy K-corrections and luminosity evolution. Galaxy colours combined with other image parameters may be a practical method of automatically differentiating between ellipticals and spirals at faint limits. The spatial distributions of 'colour subsamples' of data are examined using correlation function techniques. (author)

[en] Brief item

[en] J-R colour-magnitude diagrams and angular clustering correlation functions are presented for a complete sample of 20 000 faint stellar images obtained from machine measurements of UK-Schmidt plates. Analyses of these and other, already published, data indicate evidence for two populations of stars at faint limits. Arguments are given which indicate that one of these populations may form an extensive galactic halo extending at least 50 kpc from the plane. (author)

[en] The relationship between galaxy counts and galactic absorption has been examined in the Lick astrographic survey. It is found that results of previous workers are consistent with the survey being limited by the isophotal size of galaxies rather than by their apparent magnitude. The selection of galaxies by size is also consistent with the degree of galaxy clustering observed in the sample. (author)

[en] Recent work on gravitational lens distortion, by foreground galaxies, of the images of distant ('background') galaxies, did not reveal any effect. This result implies a low mean mass for the foreground galaxies. The author shows, that by including the effect of galaxy clustering in the calculations, a higher limit to the mean galaxy mass is obtained. (U.K.)