Optical and infrared variability of B2 1308+326

Optical and infrared polarimetric and photometric observations of the BL Lacertae object B2 1308+326 during its high-luminosity outburst in the spring of 1978 are reported. The energy distribution, polarization at 0.6 and 2.2 microns, flux and polarization variability and position angle and strength of polarization variations of B2 1308+326, which has a luminosity greater than 10 to the 48th ergs/sec, are observed to be similar to those of BL Lac objects of much lower luminosity, suggesting the same emission process. Models of BL Lac object emission accounting for the high luminosity of B2 1308+326 are examined, and the isotropic synchrotron model is found to be more applicable to the optical and infrared emission of BL Lac objects than a model invoking relativistically enhanced emission.