The gaseous galactic halo as inferred from the line spectra of the galaxies Markarian 509 and Fairall 9

Narrow interstellar absorption lines of S II 1259.52, Si II 1260.42, and Fe II 1608.46 due to gas in the disk and the halo of the Galaxy have been detected in the spectrum of the Seyfert galaxy Mrk 509 with the International Ultraviolet Explorer. This gas is also seen at higher resolution in the Ca II and Na I absorption lines in two components at LSR velocities of +6 and +62 km/s. In addition, narrow Ly-alpha and C IV absorption near the Seyfert redshift seem to be present in the spectrum. Si II 1260.42 absorption from the galactic disk and from the Magellanic Stream or the halo of the SMC have been detected with the IUE in the spectrum of Fairall 9. The observations of these two objects when combined with existing results are shown to be consistent with a corotating galactic halo having a height of less than 10 kpc at the sun.