COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
          INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                       Number 1165

                                 Konkoly Observatory
                                 Budapest
                                 1976 August 12


            FAST VARIATIONS OF epsilon AURIGAE



   The spectral variability of the F supergiant star of the
epsilon Aurigae binary system has been known for a long time (Ludendorff
(1906), Wright (1955), Hack (1958)). The change in the shapes of
the lines was always observed in spectra obtained at different 
epochs or during different nights. We have also observed variations
in spectra obtained on the same night with a time difference of
about 15m. The spectra used are listed in Table 1. They were 
obtained with the Coude spectrograph of the 152 cm telescope of the
Haute Provence Observatory. The dispersion of all the spectra is
7.5 Angstrom/mm and the quality of the spectrograms is very good.
   The equivalent width variation between GC 105 and GC 107 and
between GC 117 and GC 118 is shown in Fig. 1a,b. Both in GC 107
and GC 118 the equivalent widths are stronger than in GC 105 and
in GC 117, respectively. A slight variation between GC 111 and the
other spectra obtained on the same night is also suspected (Fig. 1c).
No variations are observed between GC 105, GC 110, GC 112, GC 117,
GC 119. The plots concerning these spectra are all similar to that
in Fig.1d. In the red region we also observe slight variations of
equivalent width during the same night for lines with remarkable
line profile variations. The variability of the shape of the line
profiles is more or less evident in all the spectra. Some blends
are resolved in some spectra and not in others. An example is the
blend of YII(22),lambda 4900.13 and BaII(3), lambda 4489.93. The two lines are
well separated only in GC 117 (Fig.2). We have not observed radial
velocity variations corresponding to line intensity variation.




                           F. CASTELLI
                      Osservatorio Astronomico
                         Trieste, Italy

References:
Hack M., 1959, Astroph.J. 129, Vol. 2, 291 [BIBCODE 1959ApJ...129..291H ]
Ludendorff H., 1906, Astron. Nachrichten 171, 4  [BIBCODE 1906AN....171...49L ]
Wright K.O., 1955, R.A.S.C. Jour. 49, N.6, 221 [BIBCODE 1955JRASC..49..221W ]



                          Table 1
                     The spectrograms

Plate No.     Date        Hour      Spectral region
                                      (Angstrom)
GC 105      11.2.1971    24h07m    3600   -   4940
GC 107      11.2.1971    24 23      "          "
GC 110      12.2.1971    22 05      "          "
GC 111      12.2.1971    22 11      "          "
GC 112      12.2.1971    22 28      "          "
GC 117      14.2.1971    21 09      "          "
GC 118      14.2.1971    21 19      "          "
GC 119      14.2.1971               "          "
GC 120      14.2.1971    22 01     4800       6750
GC 121      14.2.1971    23 13      "          "


                    [FIGURE 1a]
                    [FIGURE 1b]
                    [FIGURE 1c]
                    [FIGURE 1d]

                    [FIGURE 2]