2002ApJ...564L.101D

We present high angular resolution (∼0".5) 10 and 18 µm images of the region around G29.96-0.02 taken from the Gemini North Observatory 8 m telescope using the mid-infrared imager and spectrometer OSCIR. These observations were centered on the location of a group of water masers, which delineate the site of a hot molecular core believed to contain an extremely young massive star. We report here the direct detection of a hot molecular core at mid-infrared wavelengths at this location. The size and extent of the core at 18 µm appears to be very similar to the morphology as seen in integrated NH₃ maps. However, our observations indicate that the mid-infrared emission may not be exactly coincident with the NH₃ emission.