The transient absorption spectrum observed previously (Devillers) in the flash photolysis of carbon suboxide has been studied under high resolution in the region 5000 to 9000 Å and assigned to the CCO radical. A rotational analysis of the 000–000 band near 8580 Å shows conclusively that the electronic transition is [Formula: see text]. From molecular orbital considerations the lower state is assigned as [Formula: see text]. Short progressions involving the stretching vibrations (ν1′ = 0–3, ν3′ = 0–1) have been observed. A Fermi resonance has been found involving ν3′ and 2ν2′. Some sequence bands have been assigned; in particular the 010–010 sequence band clearly shows the Renner splittings expected for the Ã3Πi excited state. A band with a different type of rotational structure has been assigned to the forbidden component 010 3Σ(−) – 000 3Σ−. The rotational analysis of this band is in excellent agreement with the theory of Hougen for the rotational energy levels of a linear molecule in the ν2 = 1 level of a 3Π state.The following molecular constants have been obtained:[Formula: see text]