Search for Planetary Optical Emission, and Study of Flare Activity of Nearby Stars

摘要

An effective 20-inch reflecting telescope at the Yale Observatory Bethany Station was constructed. Also, a unique dualchannel pulse-counting photoelectric spectrophotometer, capable of a variety of astronomical problems in addition to those so far attempted, and especially effective for a New England climate by being able to work without loss of accuracy through haze and thin clouds, was constructed. Certain modern photomultipliers were tested hitherto unreported effects in their behavior were detected. It was demonstrated that Jovian H alpha auroras are absent, to unexpectedly low levels, and that search for Jovian auroras should now probably be carried out using other possible lines or bands. Preliminary indications are that strong H alpha flares are not of great frequency in late K dwarfs.