A Massive Star Odyssey , from Main Sequence to

We present new narrow-band imaging and optical spectroscopy of Wolf-Rayet stars in the Local Group dwarf galaxy IC10 (Gemini-N GMOS) and Sculptor group spiral galaxy NGC300 (VLT FORS2). 1. Gemini-N GMOS observations of IC10 IC10 is a moderately reddened dwarf irregular (or blue compact dwarf) at a distance of 0.9Mpc, with a metal content of log(O/H) 8:2 and an unusually high WC/WN ratio of 2, versus <0.1 in the SMC (e.g. Massey & Armandroo 1995). In the light of recent suggestions that IC10 also hosts WC9 stars (Royer et al. 2001), hitherto known only towards our Galactic Centre, we have obtained spectroscopy of candidate WR stars in IC10 using GMOS mounted at Gemini-N during 2001 December{2002 January. Together with recent CFHT-MOS spectroscopy from 2001 October, we have spectroscopically observed 28/30 WR candidates in IC10, connrming 15 WC stars and 9 WN stars, such that the WC/WN ratio remains remarkably high. All of the WC stars have spectral type WC4, except for WR10 (Massey & Armandroo 1995) which has a WC7 spectral type, and unusually broad line widths, 3000 km s ?1. None of the three candidate WC9 stars are connrmed as genuine WR stars.