We have acquired CO J = 1 --> 0 mapping of a region 2 x 2 arcmin(2) ab
out the cometary nebula and jet outflow source 1548c27. We find little
evidence for interaction between the jet and molecular cloud, althoug
h it is found that the reflection nebula is embedded within a neutral
condensation of size congruent to 10(2) arcsec. Kinematic variations a
cross the source suggest the presence of cloud rotation, a feature whi
ch is used to estimate a lower limit cloud mass of similar to 58.2 M(.
), and corresponding mean densities n(H-2) similar to 1.44 10(3) cm(-3
). Estimated values of extinction A(upsilon) similar to 5.2 mag throug
h the cloud appear consistent with those attributed to both the centra
l source IRS 1, and putative background sources in the vicinity of the
nucleus. Finally, if the observed velocity gradient arises through ro
tational equilibrium in the spheroidal cloud, then densities are likel
y to be more-or-less constant. Similarly, given that asymmetry in the
optical nebula arises through shadowing by a circumstellar accretion d
isk, then the orientation of the disk axis is likely to be similar to
the cloud angular momentum vector.