High resolution, vibrationally resolved, near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectra at the C 1s and N 1s ionization thresholds of pyridine and deuterated d5-pyridine in the gas phase have been recorded. The high resolution of 65 meV (150 meV) at the C s (N 1s) ionization thresholds reveals vibrational structures in the spectra. Detailed ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to interpret the experimental spectra and to assign the observed peaks. In particular we focused on the previously unexplained intensity ratio for the two components of the C 1s→1π∗ transition. For this transition the vibrational structure is included through a linear coupling model in the DFT calculations and leads to the experimentally observed ∼2:3 intensity ratio between the two π∗ components in the C 1s spectrum rather than the ∼3:2 ratio obtained without vibrational effects. After inclusion of relaxation effects in the excited states, in addition to the vibrational effects, both theoretical methods yield almost perfect agreement with experiment. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.