Abstract
THE SPECTRUM OF MIRA CETI.—In 1924 the maximum magnitude reached by Mira was exceptionally low, and on that occasion some new bands hitherto unknown in stellar spectra were noticed in its spectrum by Dr. A. H. Joy. The origin of these bands is discussed in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society for June by Mr. F. E. Baxandall, who attributes them to aluminium oxide. They were treated by Dr. Joy as wide, bright lines, and he gave the wave-length measurements of their centres. By correcting these wave-lengths to the junction of the bright and dark regions, Baxandall has produced evidence which appears to be conclusive that the origin is to be found in aluminium oxide. Some enlarged spectra of Mira, accompanied by laboratory spectra of aluminium oxide as comparisons, show striking agreements of stellar bands with those of aluminium. A further examination of other spectra of Mira shows that aluminium oxide bands are probably normally present, and that all recorded bands other than those of titanium oxide may be attributed to this source.
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Our Astronomical Column. Nature 122, 252 (1928). https://doi.org/10.1038/122252a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/122252a0