This paper presents observations with intermediate spectral and spatial resolution along the major and minor axes of the starburst galaxy NGC 253 .
The spectral ranges analyzed are in the region of the stellar MgI b ( \sim 5175 Å ) , the near IR CaII triplet ( \sim 8550 Å ) absorption features , and the region of the H \alpha emission line .
We have compared the shape of the stellar features with those of reference stars and determined the line-of-sight velocity distribution ( LOSVD ) of the stellar component by using a two-dimensional Gaussian decomposition algorithm , and show for the first time the rotation curve of the stellar component in NGC 253 .
Comparing the recesion velocity curves of the gas and stars , it is seen that the stellar component has a decoupled kinematics respect to the gas , displaying a shollower velocity gradient and larger velocity dispersion that the gas in the inner regions .
The minor axis kinematics together with the kinematics across the central 40 ^ { \prime \prime } along the major axis , suggest the presence of a rotating body with a kinematically misaligned axis respect to the main disk of the galaxy .
The asymmetries in the LOSVD along the minor axis together with the steep velocity gradient of the gaseous component suggest a merger scenario to explain the these kinematically signatures .
The enclosed mass in the central regions is computed to be ( 2.4 \pm 0.5 ) \times 10 ^ { 7 } M _ { \odot } for a radius of r = 0.7 ^ { \prime \prime } ( 10 pc ) .
A double gaseous component in the central 6 arcsecs is detected from the [ SIII ] \lambda 9069 Å data along the minor axis ; this seems to be the signature of a superbubble due to a supernova rate of 0.05 yr ^ { -1 } .