Abstract The near UV absorption, steady-state polarized fluorescence excitation and time–-resolved fluorescence emission spectra of indole in argon matrix are reported. The absorption maxima of the four lowest singlet transitions were identified at 35095 cm−1(also the S1, 0 0–0 band), 37650 cm−1 (S2,0), 47415 cm−1 (S3,0), and 51680 cm−1 (S4,0). No distinct 0–0 band of the second transition was identified but the linearly polarized, steady-state fluorescence excitation spectrum indicates an onset of weak S2,0 bands on the blue side of the S1,0 0–0 peak (35095 + 400 cm−1). Only one fluorescence emission component, of 4.9±0.2 ns, was obtained by excitation over the S1, 0 0–0 + 565 cm−1 to S1,0 0–0 - 245 cm−1 domain. The reported data strongly suggest the 1Lb −1A1 and 1La −1A1assignment for the lowest and next lowest transitions, respectively.