Photoelectric Spectrophotometry of MHα 328-116

A spectrophotometric investigation has been completed on the peculiar object MHa 328-116 which has recently undergone a very large change in luminosity and spectrum. It is found that the underlying stellar continuum corresponds to that of a very hot star, in contrast to the pre-outburst M spectral type. The relative emission line strengths for [0 iii] lines were found to vary, as were the lower members of the Balmer series. The Balmer decrement indicates that the nebular envelope is optically thick to this line radiation, a conclusion substantiated by the relative strength of the recombination emission lines and tbe stellar continuum.