Electron densities, radial and terminal wind velocities for the planetary nebula NGC 6302 and its O VI-type binary nucleus

Archival high- and low-dispersion IUE spectra of NGC 6302 and its nucleus h ave been analyzed. The spectra in the NEWSIPS format reveal many high-excit ation emission features, including stellar O V, O VI, O VII, and O VIII tha t identify the nucleus as a new member of the "O VI sequence." Fe II featur es that are resonantly excited by O VI lambda 1032 are also observed. Other high-excitation species include [Ne IV], [Ne V], [Mg VI], and [Si VII]. El ectron densities were determined from C III], N III], N IV], and [Ne IV] an d are compared to IR [Ne V] densities. Radial velocities of strong emission features cluster around -55 km s(-1) except for the Bowen O III and [O II] lines that show large positive radial velocities. Results from IUE, optica l, ground-based IR, and KAO IR data are summarized. A relatively low termin al wind velocity of -520 +/- 200 km s(-1) was estimated from the P Cygni pr ofile of the C IV lambda 1548 feature. A G-type companion to the very hot w hite dwarf central star is indicated by the LWR/LWP low-dispersion spectra.