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A. Quirrenbach (UCSD), O. Lai (CFHT), J. Larkin (UCLA), G. Neugebauer (Caltech), A. Weinberger (UCLA), P. Wizinowich (Keck Observatory)
We have observed the Nuclear Regions of the Seyfert Galaxies NGC1068 and NGC7469 as part of the science verification program for the adaptive optics system on the Keck II telescope. Individual knots within the star-forming ring (3 arcsec diameter) of NGC7469 are clearly resolved in our H-band images. Comparison with other high-resolution data sets shows that information near the diffraction limit of the telscope can be reliably obtained. The main goal of the observations of NGC1068 was to determine the compactness of the nucleus at infrared wavelengths. Great care has to be exercised with this type of observation, since the behavior of the adaptive optics system is different for extended objects than for point sources. The wavefront sensor operates at visible wavelengths, where the nucleus of NGC1068 is fairly diffuse; this can give rise to artefacts that can be mistaken for structures within the central arcsecond. We have taken images at different angles of the image rotator to separate artefacts from real structure, and we will discuss the reality of features that have been seen in the nuclear region of NGC1068.