Previous
abstract 
Next
abstract
We present high spatial ($\approx 0.24^{\prime\prime} \ {\rm pixel}^ {-1}$) and spectral ($\Delta\lambda / \lambda \approx 800$) resolution near-infrared images of two planetary nebulae, NGC 6543 and NGC 7027, in $H_{2}$ v=1--0 S(1), the Br$\gamma$ hydrogen recombination line and the two unidentified infrared lines at 2.199 and 2.287 $\mu$m (Geballe et al. 1991, MNRAS 253, 75). These data were obtained at the WIRO 2.3~m telescope with the University of Rochester 3rd generation $256 \times 256$ InSb camera mated with the Naval Research Laboratory K\/ -band Fabry-Perot Etalon. These data demonstrate the advantage of employing high performance, low read-noise ($<10 e^{-}/s$) IR arrays in spectral line imaging. Our images permit study of the spatial distribution of the emitting regions in each nebulae, allowing us to assess the nebular environment. In particular, our $H_{2}$ images of these objects are free of contaminating emission from He~I illustrating the advantage of FP imaging versus narrow-band filter studies. For NGC 6543, we also present preliminary results of complementary K\/ -band long-slit spectroscopic observations.
This work was supported in part by the Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Studies Program, the Office of Naval Research, and the National Science Foundation (AST93-57392 -- WIRO).
