COMMISSION 27 OF THE I. A. U.
         INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
                     Number 2188

                                  Konkoly Observatory
                                  Budapest
                                  1982 August 16

                                  HU ISSN 0374-0676




          A NEW PROBABLE Be STAR ALPHA Leo




  Spectroscopic observations of alpha Leo have been carried out.
This study has been done under our program of spectroscopic 
observations of Be stars. Suspected variability appears to be a
valuable clue in finding new emission stars. Irvine (1975) 
observed 43 stars, vsin i >= 300 km, with a 91 cm Cassegrain 
spectrograph at a dispersion of 67 A/mm in the H_alpha region on 103 aF
Kodak emulsion. Spectra were widened to 300 or 600 micron. This
investigation led to five new and one probable (19 Mon, HR 2648)
emission stars. However, Irvine (1975) could not detect emission
in H_alpha in alpha Leo and predicted it would be an excellent candidate
for Be star.
  We obtained 7 spectra of alpha Leo, with the 50 cm reflecting
telescope, at Cassegrain focus, with plane grating spectrograph
at a dispersion of 17.2 A/mm at H_alpha on 09802 Kodak photographic
plates, widened 800 micron. These spectra were taken on February 22
(two), February 23 (two), February 26 (one), April 8 (two), 1981.
On February 22 and 23, we could notice weak emission with
central reversal, out of these we are presenting four density
tracings in Figure 1. From Figure 1, we conclude that alpha Leo
has variable H_alpha profile, with variable weak centrally reversed
emission.

                   [FIGURE 1]

          Figure 1: H_alpha density tracings


                MAHIPAL SINGH

          Indian Institute of Astrophysics
              Bangalore - 560 034


Reference:

Irvine, N.J. 1975, Astrophys. J. 196, 773 [BIBCODE 1975ApJ...196..773I ]