In spectroscopy a band head is the abrupt edge of a spectroscopic band. When a band is described as degrading to the violet, it means that for wavelengths above the band head wavelength, the spectrum is dark as the band comes to a sudden stop(just above/after the head), and below the wavelength the brightness of the band weakens gradually. A band that degrades to the red, conversely means that the band head is a lower limit on wavelength for the band, and it fades off toward longer wavelengths, which in visible light is the red end of the spectrum.