Spectrophotometry of H II regions and the nucleus of NGC 1566
The paper presents spectrophotometric observations of the nucleus and nine H II regions in the spiral arms of the Sbc galaxy NGC 1566. The emission line spectra of the H II regions are characterized by a low grade of ionization, and most of the line intensities do not show radial gradients; the N II/O II forbidden line ratio appears to increase toward the nucleus, and the forbidden O III/H-beta ratio may decrease in the same direction. This is explained by the increase of the oxygen abundance and decrease of the electron temperature toward the nucleus; the spectra confirm the presence of the weak, broad emission wings at H-alpha, and the nuclear spectrum of NGC 1566 resembles that of a giant H II region rather than that of a Seyfert galaxy.