The UV spectrum of VV Cep in 1978.

Abstract

VV Cep spectra taken by IUE in June and July 1978 are examined. At this initial phase of the chromospheric eclipse following the totality of the 1977 eclipse, the chromospheric line spectrum is well developed in the region 2500-3000 A, superimposed on the spectrum of the hot companion. The flux distribution derived from the low-resolution and large-aperture spectra seems to indicate that the temperature of the secondary star is about 10,000 K. The absolute magnitude derived from the Mg II lines confirms the value of -4 derived from a long series of astrometric measures by van de Kamp (1978).