Deep U-band Faint Object Camera (FOC) images of the nuclear region of
NGC 6251 have revealed a region of extended emission that is most prob
ably radiation scattered from a continuum source in the nucleus. This
radiation lies interior to a dust ring, is nearly perpendicular to the
radio jet axis, and is seen primarily in the FOC U and B filters. The
extension has a low observed polarization (less than or equal to 10%)
and is unlikely to arise from line emission. We know of no other exam
ples similar to what we have found in NGC 6251, and we offer some tent
ative explanations. The nuclear morphology shows clear similarities to
that seen in the nucleus of NGC 4261, except for the extended U-band
radiation.