The envelope of IRC+10216 reflecting the galactic light: UBV surface brightness photometry and interpretation

Abstract

We present and analyse new optical images of the dust envelope surrounding the high mass-loss carbon star IRC+10216. This envelope is seen due to external illumination by galactic light. Intensity profiles and colors of the nebula were obtained in the UBV bandpasses. The data are compared with the results of a radiative transfer model calculating multiple scattering of interstellar field photons by dust grains with a single radius. The data show that the observed radial shape of the nebula, especially its half maximum radius, does not depend on wavelength (within experimental errors), suggesting that grains scatter in the grey regime, etc, etc (this abstract has been shortened)

arXiv commentaccepted by AA

References in corpus (4)

• Maps of Dust IR Emission for Use in Estimation of Reddening and CMBR Foregrounds
• Can Reflection from Grains Diagnose the Albedo?
• Dust Emission from IRC+10216
• 100-year Mass Loss Modulations on the Asymptotic Giant Branch

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Imaging the circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars
• The circumstellar envelope of IRC+10216 from milli-arcsecond to arcmin scales
• Gas phase atomic metals in the circumstellar envelope of IRC+10216
• Herschel PACS and SPIRE imaging of CW Leo
• Dust temperature and density profiles of AGB and post-AGB stars from mid-infrared observations
• Light and colour of cirrus, translucent and opaque dust in the high-latitude area of LDN 1642