The IR morphology of the bipolar nebula R Mon/NGC 2261.

The authors present the first high spatial resolution IR images of Hubble's variable nebula R Mon/NGC 2261. These images show new morphological structure associated with the nebula and circumstellar environment. In particular, the authors present the first IR detection of a jet-like feature some 15arcsec long, extending east from the stellar source and aligned perpendicular to the bipolar axis. This feature most probably forms the inner, hot region of a circumstellar disk. The discovery of several filamentary streamers of material extending to the NE from the circumstellar region is also presented. New K-band big beam polarimetry of R Mon and the nebula shows that they are highly polarized and that the 2.2 μm flux is scattered radiation originating from the circumstellar environment of R Mon.