Radial Color Strips of Hubble's Variable Nebula, NGC 2261

Session 62 -- Very Young Stars
Display presentation, Thursday, 9:20-4:00, Pauley Room

[62.22] Radial Color Strips of Hubble's Variable Nebula, NGC 2261

R. Abbott, B. Martin, D. Bennum, M. Rodrigue, T. Colegrove (University of Nevada, Reno), A. Schultz (STScI), J. Christy (Hughes), M. Disanti (NASA/HQ), U. Fink (University of Arizona)

We present BVRI radial brightness strips of R Mon/NGC 2261. The brightness variations of this system have been well documented and are believed to be the direct result of dark bodies orbiting R Mon and casting shadows upon the nebula. The apparent movement of the shadow boundaries suggest outward motion similar in character to a rotating beam of light from a lighthouse playing on cloud banks at different distances.

We describe preliminary results of a project to study R Mon/NGC 2261 using CCD imaging data obtained during the period 1985-1988. Radial strips were extracted centered on R Mon, parallel to the eastern and western edges of the nebula, and along the north-south axis of the nebula. The color analysis allows us to study spatially the radial changes in the light intensity from the nebula near R Mon. We present extracted color strips from a data set obtained on 6-Mar-1986.

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