A high resolution image of the inner-shell of the PCygni nebula in the infra-red [Fe II] line

TL;DR

This study provides high-resolution infrared imaging of P Cygni's inner nebula, revealing detailed spatial distribution and confirming previous findings, with plans for further spectroscopic analysis to understand its 3D structure.

Contribution

First high-resolution IR imaging of P Cygni's nebula in [Fe II], mapping its inner-shell and confirming previous radial velocity and emission extent measurements.

Findings

Detected extended emission inside and outside proposed nebular boundaries.

Confirmed consistency with previous radial velocity and emission studies.

Provided detailed 2-D spatial distribution of the nebula in [Fe II].

Abstract

We have obtained with the LBT Telescope AO system 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 {\mu}m. We have combined the images in order to cover a field of view of about 20" around P Cygni thus providing the high resolution (0".08) 2-D spatial distribution of the inner-shell of the P Cygni nebula in [Fe II]. We have identified several nebular emission regions which are characterized by an S/N>3. A comparison of our results with those available in the literature shows full consistency with the finding by Smith & Hartigan (2006) which are based on radial velocity measurements and their relatively good agreement with the extension of emission nebula in [NII] {\lambda}6584 found by Barlow et al. (1994). We have clearly detected extended emission also inside the radial distance R=7".8 and outside R=9".7 which are the nebular boundaries proposed by Smith & Hartigan (2006). New complementary spectroscopic observations to measure radial velocities and to derive the 3-D distribution of P Cygni nebula are planned.