SUPPORT FOR THE GRAVITATIONAL LENS INTERPRETATION OF SBS-0909+532

The system SBS 0909+532A, B is a double consisting of a quasar and a f ainter component that was, until now, spectroscopically unresolved. Sp ectra taken in good seeing conditions (FWHM = 1 '') with the 4.2 m Wil liam Herschel Telescope separate the A and B components, showing that both are quasars with the same redshift, z = 1.377, and identical spec tra. Consequently, this supports the gravitational lens interpretation of SBS 0909+532. The ME II lambda lambda 2796, 2803 doublet is found in absorption at the same redshift (z = 0.83) in both components, alth ough the equivalent width of the faintest one is 3 times stronger. We discuss the possibility that these absorption features arise from the photometrically unidentified lensing galaxy. We have also observed ano ther double system, Q1222+226, which was recently reported to be a gra vitationally lensed quasar. Comparison of the spectra of both componen ts indicates that Q1222+226 is in fact composed of a quasar and a star .