B[e] stars ^*

V. HD 50138 = MWC 158

¹ Observatoire de Strasbourg, URA 1280, CNRS 11, rue de l'Université, 67000 Strasbourg, France
² Laboratoire d'Astronomie Université de Montpellier 2, URA 1280 CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France

Send offprint request to: Y. Andrillat

Received: 5 June 1997
Accepted: 1 August 1997

Abstract

On the basis of spectroscopic CCD material obtained at the Haute Provence Observatory, we provide line identifications and equivalent width measurements in the wavelength region 3738-10232 A of the spectrum of HD 50138 Over two hundred features are identified and a comparison of our results with those of other authors is provided. We also discuss the variability of the lines using equivalent widths and descriptions of the line spectrum. We attribute as a best compromise a spectral type of B 5 III. We conclude that the gaseous shell surrounding the star has a temperature of the order of 10 000 K and that its distance to the star is of the order of two stellar radii. We discuss the relation of this star to others previously analyzed and warn against hasty generalizations.