NEAR-INFRARED IMAGING OF THE HERBIG-HARO OBJECT HH124

We report our findings from near-infrared imaging of the Herbig-Haro o bject HH124. The outflow driving source is found to be deeply embedded near the symmetry centre of the outflow. This near-infrared source, w hich we identify with IRAS 06382 + 1017, is associated with an infrare d reflection nebula. The reflection nebula morphology and the spatial distribution of H-2 emission in the vicinity of HH124D lead us to prop ose, as one possibility, the existence of Mo outflows. An alternative interpretation of the reflection nebula morphology is reflection off a dusty torus situated in the equatorial plane of IRAS 06382 + 1017. We also report a tentative detection of Br gamma emission associated wit h IRAS 06382+ 1017. This emission may originate from the circumstellar accretion disc's boundary layer or from a stellar wind, and indicates that IRAS 06382 + 1017 is a young, active T Tauri star. The H-2 1-0 S (1) emission in HH124 is clumpy, especially in HH124C. The overall spa tial distribution of the H-2 emission in the different shock fronts is consistent with emission on the wings of bow shocks with a higher sho ck velocity for HH124C than for HH124E.