BI Crucis : a post-PN nebula ?

The discovery of a bipolar nebula associated with the symbiotic star BI Cru is presented. The nebula has a high expansion velocity, and is kinematically and morphologically similar to He 2-104, the 'Southern Crab'. A high resolution spectrum of the central object shows an H-alpha line profile typical of an accretion disk, while IR photometry has shown that BI Cru also contains a short period Mira star. These data lead us to propose that BI Cru is a close binary. The white dwarf has produced a planetary nebula (PN) which has now dispersed, and through its accretion disk is now blowing a fast, collimated wind. This wind shows up as the bipolar, high velocity nebula observed here. We therefore conclude that BI Crucis is both a pre- and post-planetary nebula object, containing an AGB star and a white dwarf.