2005ApJ...629L.117S

We report the discovery of a nearly edge-on disk about the A0 star HD 32297 seen in light scattered by the disk grains revealed in NICMOS PSF-subtracted coronagraphic images. The disk extends to a distance of at least 400 AU (3".3) along its major axis with a 1.1 µm flux density of 4.81±0.57 mJy beyond a radius of 0".3 from the coronagraphically occulted star. The fraction of 1.1 µm starlight scattered by the disk, 0.0033±0.0004, is comparable to its fractional excess emission at 25+60 µm of ∼0.0027 as measured from IRAS data. The disk appears to be inclined 10°.5±2°.5 from an edge-on viewing geometry, with its major axis oriented 236°.5 ±1° eastward of north. The disk exhibits unequal brightness on opposing sides and a break in the surface brightness profile along the NE-side disk major axis. Such asymmetries might implicate the existence of one or more (unseen) planetary mass companions.