The Spectra of Helium and Hydrogen

Abstract

RECENTLY Prof. Fowler (Month. Not. Roy. Astr. Soc, December, 1912) has observed a number of new lines by passing a condensed discharge through mixtures of hydrogen and helium. Some of these lines coincide closely with lines of the series observed by Pickering in the spectrum of the star ς Puppis, and attributed to hydrogen in consequence of its simple numerical relation to the ordinary Balmer series. Other lines coincide closely with the series predicted by Rydberg and denoted as the principal series of the hydrogen spectrum. The rest of the new lines show a very simple relation to those of the latter series, but apparently have no place in Rydberg's theory.