Modelling of dust scattering toward the Coalsack

Abstract

Murthy, Henry & Holberg discovered intense far-ultraviolet (FUV) (λλ912-1600) emission from the direction of the Coalsack molecular cloud 10 years ago. We have used their results in conjunction with a Monte Carlo model for the scattering in the region to show that the scattering is from dust in the foreground of the Coalsack. The albedo of the grains is 0.4 +/- 0.2. This is one of the few determinations of the albedo of dust in the diffuse interstellar medium in the FUV.