Analysis of the Schmidt, Cohen & Margon (1980) features in the Red Rectangle nebula

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between atmospheric extinction and the spectrum of the Red Rectangle nebula on scales of a few to a few tens of Ang. It is found that the fine structure of the nebula's continuum short-ward of 6700A is similar to background spectra, and is thus determined either by atmospheric absorption or by light from HD44179 scattered in the earth atmosphere.

16 figures, submitted December 22, 2008 to the Open Astronomy Journal, accepted 02/27/09. Paper previously refused by Astrophysics and Space Science