Letter to the Editor

Mid-infrared imaging of a young bipolar nebula in the S287 molecular cloud

European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, 85748 Garching bei München, Germany e-mail: mvanden@eso.org

Received: 15 July 2005
Accepted: 14 September 2005

Abstract

We present diffraction-limited images in the 11.3 μm PAH band and in the continuum at 11.9 μm of the S287B star forming region obtained with the newly commissioned mid-infrared imager/spectrometer VISIR at the VLT. In both filters five point-like sources are detected, of which at least one has a spectral energy distribution reminiscent of a Lada Class I source. We also report on the discovery of a new Herbig Ae star in this region. It is particularly striking that the brightest mid-infrared source in this region has not been detected at shorter wavelengths; it is a good candidate to be the driving source of the bipolar molecular outflow and optical reflection nebulosity previously reported in S287B.