The Crab pulsar and its red knot in the near-infrared

Abstract

We present near-infrared observations obtained with ISAAC on the VLT of the Crab pulsar and its environment. Photometry of the pulsar in J_s, H and K_s shows the pulsar spectrum to extend fairly smoothly from the UV/optical regime. PSF subtraction of the pulsar allows us to study its immediate neighborhood in some detail. In particular, the knot positioned just 0farcs6 from the pulsar has been revealed in the IR. Using also archival HST data for the knot, we have measured its broad band spectrum to rise steeply into the IR, in contrast to the spectrum of the pulsar itself.

Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile (ESO Programme 66.D-0251).