[Previous] | [Session 5] | [Next]
N. L. King (STScI), A. Pasquali (ESO), A. Nota (STScI/ESA), N. Panagia (STScI/ESA), M. Clampin (STScI), R. Schulte-Ladbeck (STScI), L. Bergeron (STScI)
We present high resolution polarimetric imaging of the \eta Car nebula in the optical and in the IR. Optical polarization maps are derived from images taken with HST/WFPC2 in the light of the V continuum (already published by Schulte-Ladbeck, Pasquali, Clampin, Nota, Hillier & Lupie 1999 AJ 118, 1320) and of H\alpha. The IR polarization map is obtained with the 1.06 \mu continuum images taken with HST/NICMOS. We compare the large scale structure of the polarization in the various bandpasses and discuss the nature of the polarizing medium. The V observations had already confirmed earlier ground results that the Homunculus is primarily a reflection nebula. The additional data set reinforces this conclusion, adding information on the evolution of the small scale structures within the nebula from the optical to the IR.
Support for this project was provided by HST grant GO-7323.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: nking@stsci.edu