A high-resolution image of the inner shell of the P Cygni nebula in the infrared [Fe II] line
Boutsia, K.; Arcidiacono, C.; Ragazzoni, R.; Busoni, L.; McCarthy, D.; Morossi, C.; Paris, D.; Pinna, E.; Franchini, M.; Kulesa, C.; Briguglio, R.; di Marcantonio, P.; Xompero, M.; Quirós-Pacheco, F.
Italy, United States
Abstract
Using the adaptive optics system of the Large Binocular Telescope, we have obtained near-infrared camera PISCES images of the inner shell of the nebula around the luminous blue variable star P Cygni in the [Fe II] emission line at 1.6435 μm. We have combined the images in order to cover a field of view of about 20 arcsec around P Cygni, thus providing the high-resolution (0.08 arcsec) two-dimensional spatial distribution of the inner shell of the P Cygni nebula in [Fe II]. We have identified several nebular emission regions that are characterized by a signal-to-noise ratio > 3. A comparison of our results with those available in the literature shows full consistency with the findings of Smith & Hartigan, which are based on radial velocity measurements, and relatively good agreement with the extension of emission nebula in [N II] λ6584 found by Barlow et al. We have clearly also detected extended emission inside the radial distance R = 7.8 arcsec and outside R = 9.7 arcsec, which are the nebular boundaries proposed by Smith & Hartigan. New complementary spectroscopic observations are planned in order to measure radial velocities and to derive the three-dimensional distribution of the P Cygni nebula.