Dust Rings and Filaments around the Isolated Young Star V1331 Cygni

We characterize the small- and large-scale environment of the young star V1331 Cygni with high-resolution HST WFPC2 and Digitized Sky Survey images. In addition to a previously known outer dust ring (~30^'' in diameter), the WFPC2 scattered light image reveals an inner dust ring for the first time. This ring has a maximum radius of ~6.5^'' and is possibly related to a molecular envelope. Large-scale optical images show that V1331 Cyg is located at the tip of a long dust filament linking it to the dark cloud LDN 981. We discuss the origin of the observed dust morphology and analyze the object's relation to its parent dark cloud LDN 981. Finally, based on recent results from the literature, we investigate the properties of V1331 Cyg and conclude that in its current state the object does not show sufficient evidence to be characterized as an FU Ori object.

Based on observations with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555.