Letter to the Editor
On the origin of the X-ray emission towards the early Herbig Be star MWC 297
1
Imperial College London, Blackett Laboratory, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ, UK e-mail: jsv@astro.keele.ac.uk
2
California Institute of Technology, Mail Code 102-8, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena CA 91125, USA
Received:
9
May
2005
Accepted:
12
June
2005
We present high resolution (
0.2)
AO-corrected coronographic near-infrared imaging on the early-type Herbig Be star MWC 297.
X-ray flaring has been reported towards this young
object, however this has been difficult to reconcile with its early spectral type (B1.5) and relatively high
mass (~10 
). Our infrared and X-ray analysis shows
that the X-ray flaring is likely due to a late-type star in the same field.
The case of MWC 297 emphasizes the need for coronographic imaging to address the reality of X-ray emission
towards Herbig Ae/Be stars, which is needed to understand the differences
between low and high-mass star formation.
Key words: stars: formation / stars: pre-main sequence / stars: flare / stars: individual: M 297 / X-rays: stars
© ESO, 2005