Zodiacal Light and Airglow Components at 5300A

Abstract Photoelectric observations of the brightness of the Pegasus Square from 0° to 80° in zenith distance were carried out at the Haleakala Airglow Observatory, Hawaii, during a period from September, 1961 to February, 1962 for an investigation of the airglow component superposed upon the zodiacal light at 5300A and of BARBIER’s conclusion of the dual nature of the airglow component. Results show that there exist two airglow components near 5300A; one is correlated with the 5577 A emission line and the other is not. The nature of the independent component is that: (1) the brightness is relatively uniform in the whole sky and does not show large variations in one night, but it undergoes large changes from night to night, (2) the mean absolute brightness is about 30 (10th magnitude G0 stars per square degree) at the zenith and (3) the height of the emission layer is below 100 km. From these results the brightness of the zodiacal light at the celestial pole is also deduced. Its brightness is about 100 (10th magnitude G0 stars per square degree).