HUBBLE-SPACE-TELESCOPE IMAGING POLARIMETRY OF THE INNER NUCLEAR REGION OF NGC-1068

We present the results of further Hubble Space Telescope (HST) imaging polarimetry of the inner region of NGC 1068 taken with the COSTAR cor rected Faint Object Camera (FOC) in the ultraviolet (2400-2700 Angstro m). The centro-symmetric polarization pattern revealed by previous HST imaging polarimetry is shown to extend even closer to the illuminatio n source (the hidden nucleus). Even in the inner region the ultraviole t light is dominated by scattered radiation, as the average polarizati on is approximately 20%, and it can be as high as 65%, figures which a re similar to those obtained previously at larger radii. These new dat a allow a more accurate determination of the position of the source of scattered radiation that is displaced by 0''.20 north and 0''.06 west from the position recently obtained by Capetti et al. This new locati on of the nucleus rules out both cloud B and the ''twin-crescent'' as the nucleus of NGC 1068. In agreement with the unified model for Seyfe rt galaxies, there appears to be no visible counterpart at this locati on. The good agreement with previous polarimetric observations demonst rates the integrity of the polarization capabilities of the FOC obtain ed after the installation of COSTAR.