Near-infrared discovery of the L810 nebula illuminator

As part of a deep near-infrared imaging survey for infrared point sources in Bok globules, we have discovered the illuminator of the optical reflection nebula seen toward the Bok globule L810. The illuminator (L810 1RS) is located at the position predicted by Scarrott, Rolph, & Tadhunter from analysis of their optical polarimetry. This source is very red (J - K ∼ 3.9) and bright (m_K = 10.7), and has an estimated bolometric luminosity of 890 L⊙. Additionally, we found a near-infrared nebula which extends 20″ symmetrically to the north and to the south of L810 IRS, exhibiting an hourglass shape. Both the morphology and the orientation of the near-infrared nebula are in good agreement with the morphology and orientation of the high-velocity molecular outflow associated with L810. Finally, we found a near-infrared jetlike structure whose axis is collinear with L810 IRS. Together, these findings indicate that L810 IRS is likely to be a deeply embedded, very active intermediate-mass young stellar object within the L810 cloud.