The Spectrum of a Perseid Meteor of 1949

Abstract

A Perseid spectrum, obtained in 1949, is compared with 5 other Perseid spectra. Density measures for this spectrum indicate a marked increase in strength, during bursts, of the H and K lines of CaII relative to the strong neutral Fe and Mg line at 3830 A. The available data indicate tentatively that: (1) Perseid spectra resemble one another more than do type-Y spectra as a whole; (2) the meteorites producing Perseid meteors are less diverse in composition than are aerolites in general.