UBV I CCD photometry is obtained for the open clusters NGC 4609 and Hogg 15 in Crux. For NGC 4609, CCD data are presented for the first time. From new photometry we derive the reddening, distance modulus and age of each cluster - NGC 4609 : E(B-V ) = 0.37 ± 0.03, V0 - MV=10.60 ± 0.08, log τ = 7.7 ± 0.1; Hogg 15 : E(B - V ) = 1.13 ± 0.11, V0 - MV = 12.50 ± 0.15, log τ ≲ 6.6. The young age of Hogg 15 strongly implies that WR 47 is a member of the cluster. We also determine the mass function of these clusters and obtain a slope Γ = -1.2 (±0.3) for NGC 4609 which is normal and a somewhat shallow slope (Γ =-0.95 ± 0.5) for Hogg 15.

UBVI CCD photometry is obtained for the Ruprecht 93 (Ru 93)region. We are unable to confirm the existence of an intermediate-age open cluster in Ru 93 from the spatial distribution of blue stars. On the other hand, we find two young star groups in the observed field: the nearer one (Ru 93 group) comprises the field young stars in the Sgr-Car arm at d ≈ 2.1 kpc, while the farther one (WR 37 group) is the young stars around WR 37 at d ≈ 4.8 kpc. We derive an abnormal extinction law (RV = 3.5) in the Ruprecht 93 region.

The X-ray spectra of late type stars can generally be well fitted by a two temperature component model of the corona. We find that the temperatures of both components are strong functions of stellar age, although the temperature of the hotter plasma in the corona shows a larger scatter and is probably affected by the activity of stars, such as flares. We confirm the power-law decay of the temperature of the hot plasma, but the temperature of the cool plasma component decays linearly with log(age).

UBVI CCD photometry has been obtained for a region around the Wolf-Rayet star WR 12. We found two young stellar associations in the observed field: the nearer one comprises the field members of Vela OBI association at d = 1.8kpc, while the farther one is the young open cluster Bochum 7 (Bo 7) at d = 4.8kpc. The stars associated with Bo 7 showed no central concentration which suggests that Bo 7 is not a young open cluster but simply a local concentration in the density of young stars belonging to the OB association (Vel OB3). These two associations have similar ages but remarkably different mass function slopes (Γ = -2.1 ± 0.3 for Vel OBI and -1.0 ± 0.3 for Bo 7). The stars in Vel OBI shows an evident age spread (ΔT~ 9Myr). We also found two strong Hα emission stars - WR 12 and #1066 - from narrow band Hα photometry.