NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING OF THE SEYFERT 2 GALAXY NGC 5252

We present near-infrared (JHK) imaging of the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 525 2, taken with the IRAC2 array on the 2.2 m telescope at ESO, La Silla. The unresolved and galactic components to the nuclear emission are se parated by a multicomponent fitting of the light profiles in the optic al and near-infrared bands. The nuclear flux in a 3'' aperture is foun d to be dominated by the host galaxy with the unresolved component bec oming less evident toward shorter wavelengths, suggesting considerable reddening in the nuclear region. The continuum energy distribution fr om the optical to the radio wavelengths and the near-infrared nonstell ar colours confirm a heavily reddened (A(V) greater-than-or-equal-to 6 mag) nonstellar/intrinsic source and the presence of hot dust in the vicinity of the nucleus. On the other hand, the stellar component show s a progressive reddening toward the center, consistent with an optica l extinction of A(V) approximately 1 mag. The infrared luminosity, com puted assuming reradiation by dust of UV/optical nuclear photons, agre es within an order of magnitude with the observed infrared luminosity. The near-infrared data are combined with optical narrow band continuu m images to construct colour ratio maps. We find a band of red materia l in the optical-infrared ratio maps extending approximately 3 kpc acr oss the nucleus and perpendicular to the biconical ionised structure o f NGC 5252. If this infrared band is tracing the distribution of a rin g or disk of dust in this galaxy, it may be getting denser in the prox imity of the nucleus, significantly contributing to the obscuration of the Seyfert 1 nucleus.