Embedded Young Stellar Objects (YSO) in dense interstellar clouds are treated self-consistently to understand their spectral energy distributions (SED). Radiative transfer calculations in spherical geometry involving the dust as well as the gas component, have been carried out to explain observations covering a wide spectral range encompassing near-infrared to radio continuum wavelengths. Various geometric and physical details of the YSOs are determined from this modelling scheme.

In order to assess the effectiveness of this self-consistent scheme, three young Galactic star forming regions associated with IRAS 18314-0720, 18355-0532 and 18316-0602 have been modelled as test cases. They cover a large range of luminosity (≈ 40). The modelling of their SEDs has led to information about various details of these sources, e.g. embedded energy source, cloud structure and size, density distribution, composition and abundance of dust grains etc. In all three cases, the best fit model corresponds to the uniform density distribution. Two types of dust have been considered, viz., Draine & Lee (DL) and the Mezger, Mathis & Panagia (MMP). Models with MMP type dust explain the dust continuum and radio continuum emission from IRAS 18314-0720 and 18355-0532 self-consistently. These models predict much lower intensities for the fine structure lines of ionized heavy elements, than those observed for IRAS 18314-0720 and 18355-0532. This discrepancy has been resolved by invoking clumpiness in the interstellar medium. For IRAS 18316-0602, the model with DL type dust grains is preferred.

Mid-and far-infrared maps of many Galactic star forming regions show multiple peaks in close proximity, implying more than one embedded energy source. With the aim of understanding such interstellar clouds better, the present study models the case of two embedded sources. A radiative transfer scheme has been developed to deal with a uniform density dust cloud in a cylindrical geometry, which includes isotropic scattering in addition to the emission and absorption processes. This scheme has been applied to the Galactic star forming region associated with IRAS 19181 + 1349, which shows observational evidence for two embedded energy sources. Two independent modelling approaches have been adopted, viz., to fit the observed spectral energy distribution (SED) best; or to fit the various radial profiles best, as a function of wavelength. Both the models imply remarkably similar physical parameters.

A new scheme of radiation transfer for understanding the infrared spectra of HII regions, has been developed. This scheme considers non-equilibrium processes (e.g. transient heating of the very small grains, VSG; and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, PAH) also, in addition to the equilibrium thermal emission from normal dust grains (BG). The spherically symmetric interstellar dust cloud is segmented into a large number of “onion skin” shells in order to implement the non-equilibrium processes. The scheme attempts to fit the observed SED originating from the dust component, by exploring the following parameters: (i) geometrical details of the dust cloud, (ii) PAH size and abundance, (iii) composition of normal grains (BG), (iv) radial distribution of all dust (BG, VSG & PAH).

The scheme has been applied to a set of five compact H II regions (IRAS 18116 − 1646, 18162 − 2048, 19442 + 2427, 22308 + 5812, and 18434 - 0242) whose spectra are available with adequate spectral resolution. The best fit models and inferences about the parameters for these sources are presented.

Three Galactic star forming regions associated with W3(OH), S209 and S187 have been simultaneously mapped in two trans-IRAS far infrared (FIR) bands centered at ≈140 and 200μm using the TIFR 100 cm balloon borne FIR telescope. These maps show extended FIR emission with structures. The HIRES processed IRAS maps of these regions at 12, 25, 60 & 100 ìm have also been presented for comparison. Point-like sources have been extracted from the longest waveband TIFR maps and searched for associations in the other five bands. The diffuse emission from these regions have been quantified, which turns out to be a significant fraction of the total emission. The spatial distribution of cold dust (T < 30 K) for two of these sources (W3(OH) & S209), has been determined reliably from the maps in TIFR bands. The dust temperature and optical depth maps show complex morphology. In general the dust around S209 has been found to be warmer than that in W3(OH) region.

The performance of the ultraviolet telescope (UVIT) on-board AstroSat is reported. The performance in orbit is also compared with estimates made from the calibrations done on the ground. The sensitivity is found to be within ∼15% of the estimates, and the spatial resolution in the NUV is found to exceed significantly the design value of 1.8′′ and it is marginally better in the FUV. Images obtained from UVIT are presented to illustrate the details revealed by the high spatial resolution. The potential of multi-band observations in the ultraviolet with high spatial resolution is illustrated by some results.

High resolution infrared imaging observations of the young planetary nebulae (PNe) NGC 7027 and BD $+$30$^{\circ}$ 3639, taken with the newly installed TIFR near infrared camera-II (TIRCAM2) on 3.6 m Devasthal optical telescope (DOT), ARIES, Nainital, are being reported. The images are acquired in J, H, K,polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and narrow-band L (nbL) filters. The observations show emission from warm dust and PAHs in the circumstellar shells. The imaging of the two objects are among the first observations in PAH and nbL bands using TIRCAM2 on DOT. The NGC 7027 images in all bands showsimilar elliptical morphology with $\sim$6$^{\prime\prime}$.7 and $\sim$4$^{\prime\prime}$.5 semi-major and semi-minor axes. Considering size up to 10% of peak value the nebula extends upto 800 from the central star revealing a multipolar evolution. The relatively cooler BD $+$30$^{\circ}$ 3639 shows a rectangular-ring shaped nebula. In J and H bands it shows an angular diameter of $\sim$8$^{\prime\prime}$, while a smaller $\sim$6$^{\prime\prime}$.9 size is observed in K, PAH and nbL bands. The 3.28 $\mu$m emission indicates presence of PAHs at about 6000 and 5000 AU from the central stars in NGC 7027 and BD $+$30$^{\circ}$ 3639 respectively. Analysis suggests domination of neutral PAHs in BD $+$30$^{\circ}$ 3639, while in NGC 7027 there is higher ionization and more processed PAH population.