We have analyzed the far UV-spectrum of the globular cluster M79 .
We show that the nearly Gaussian mass distribution of zero-age horizontal-branch stars , as derived by Dixon et al .
( 1996 ) , is able to reproduce the far-UV Hopkins Utraviolet Telescope ( HUT ) spectrum , if there is a luminous UV-bright star of about T _ { eff } = 9,500 K within the HUT entrance slit , or , more likely , if the horizontal branch morphology becomes considerably redder in the core of M79 , as observed in some other centrally condensed globular clusters .
Agreement between the synthetic and observed far-UV spectra for M79 would also be improved if the surface abundances of the heavy elements in the hot horizontal-branch stars were enhanced by radiative diffusion .
Contrary to Dixon et al .
( 1996 ) we do not need extremely low gravities to reproduce the width of Ly \alpha .