ISO Observations of the Planetary Nebula Lindsay 305 in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Abstract

We present ISO (Infrared Space Observatory) observations of the planetary nebula Lindsay 305 (L 305) in the Small Magellanic Cloud. L 305 is very prominent in the ISOCAM frames at 6.75 and 11.5 mu m, although it is under the detection limit at 4.5 mu m. The obtained spectral energy distribution shows a strong mid-IR excess, which, depending on the amount of energy radiated at wavelengths longer than 11.5 mu m, may be as large as ~ 1500 LO . However, since an accurate estimate of the total nebular luminosity is not available to date, the evolutionary status of L 305 can not yet be constrained precisely.} Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.