is the same constant as in the Balmer spectrum of hydrogen. From analogy with the Balmer- and Pickering-spectra, Nicholson has suggested that the lines in question are due to hydrogen.

It is seen that the lines discussed by Nicholson are given by the above formula if we put

. The lines in question correspond to

; if we for

put

, we get lines coinciding with lines of the ordinary Balmer-spectrum of hydrogen. If we in the above formula put