A far-infrared study of the reflection nebula NGC 2023

Multicolor mapping of the reflection nebula NGC 2023 from 40 to 160 microns is presented. These data show the shorter wavelength emission to peak on or close to the exciting star HD 37903. The longest wavelength emission, however, peaks about 1 arcmin south of HD 37903, at a position coincident with the C II recombination line peak. The dust temperature appears to peak close to HD 37903 suggesting that it is probably the most luminous heating source for the cloud. The far-infrared data together with 10 microns photometry of HD 37903 imply a roughly uniform dust mass density within 0.1 pc of the star with no significant density increase toward the star. The results imply that the gas and dust column density increase slightly to the south of HD 37903 and that the bulk of the molecular cloud lies behind the star and the reflection nebula.