Air radiation (N, O, N2) is present in major amounts in the spectra of three high‐geocentric‐velocity photographic meteor spectra. These spectra are high‐definition spectra with over 50 identifiable features in each spectrum. These meteor spectra are compared with N2radiation from a Geissler tube and with calculated N2first‐positive band intensities. An ‘effective vibrational temperature’ of about 20,000 K is obtained from the nitrogen first‐positive band relative intensities. Electron excitation is indicated as the primary excit