Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry B
I don't know but the same effect was seen in the spectra of nova del last year. The relative strength of the Ha line got up to 120.
Terry
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After thinking about it I realised I'm naively thinking about it in terms of absorption where n=2 is the starting point for all the balmer transitions.
For emission conditions may be favouring n=3, and not the levels for the other balmer lines. We will see the 3 -> 2 transitions (ha) but the 3 -> 1 transition is in the Lyman series (UV).
So it's not such a mystery why the lines are so imbalanced.
Hope that makes sense :/