DISCOVERY OF A COLD AND GRAVITATIONALLY UNSTABLE CLOUD FRAGMENT

1300 mum mapping of the region around the energy source of HH24 in the dark cloud L1652 has revealed a neighbouring strong, previously unkno wn source of dust emission. Photometry at 450, 800, 1100 and 1300 mum yields a very low dust temperature of around 10 K. Estimates for the m ass of the object lead to values of 36 and 52 M. for radii of 4.1 . 10 (16) and 8.2 . 10(16) cm which is at least a factor of 50 above the Je ans mass. The 1300 mum contours show an elongation along N-S and a str ong central increase in density. These observational facts lead us to suggest that we have detected a cold and gravitationally unstable clou d fragment which might be a protostar.