2000ApJ...541L..67C

We present new high-resolution and signal-to-noise ratio near-IR observations of the central object and nebula of G25.5+0.2, a heavily reddened luminous blue variable candidate. Imaging reveals that the nebula shows a striking bipolar morphology, reminiscent of the Homunculus of η Carinae. Two complete limb-brightened lobes are visible, with an apparent double-nested equatorial ring system. Two additional jet or paddle-like features also appear to be present in the equatorial plane of the nebula, apparently emanating from the central star, again in a manner reminiscent of the Homunculus. The H I and He I nebular emission line spectrum, which samples primarily the equatorial ejecta, suggests a peak projected expansion velocity for this material of ∼180 km.s^–1, implying a kinematic age of ∼2500 yr. The stellar spectrum is suggestive of very high temperatures for the central object, with no evidence of He I 2.058 µm or H I 2.166 µm emission. The only unambiguously identifiable emission lines of stellar origin were found to be C IV 2.079 µm and He II 2.189 µm, although a broad feature centered on ∼2.115 µm possibly corresponds to blended C III, N III, and He I emission.