We derive a new relationship between the giant branch slope as measured in the color-magnitude diagram (K, J - K) and [Fe/H] metallicity for old open clusters. Previously such relationships have been derived for globular clusters, while similar tendency has been expected for open clusters. New derived correlation, [Fe/H]=-17.2(±0.23)GB slope - 1.95(±0.02), is based on a collection of data for 10 old open clusters. Most clusters behave as expected from the theoretical predictions.

Among the sample of red giant stars in the globular clusters M3 and M13 whose CN bands (3883\AA) have been measured by various authors, the stars on the red giant evolutionary state are selected to have their CN band distributions. It is found that all stars brighter than Mv = 0, are CN-strong in M3, while all stars except IV-29 are CN-strong in M13. It hints that the onset of meridional mixing is related with the RGB bumps of the clusters.

Binary companions are often invoked to explain the axial and point symmetry seen in the majority of planetary nebulae and proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs). To explore this hypothesis, we have undertaken a long-term (20 year) study of light and velocity variations in PPNs. From the photometric study of 24 PPNs, we find that all vary in brightness, and from a subset of 12 carbon-rich PPNs of F-G spectral type we find periods of 35-155 days, with the cooler having the longer pe\-riods. The variations are seen to be due to pulsation; no photometric evidence for binarity is seen. A radial velocity study of a sub-sample of seven of the brightest of these shows that they all vary with the pulsation periods. Only one shows evidence of a longer-term variation that we tentatively identify as being due to a binary companion. We conclude that the present evidence for the binary nature of these PPNs is meager and that any undetected companions of these PPNs must be of low mass (< 0.25 M ) or long period (> 30 years).