Abstract:
Carina Nebula (NGC3372) and RCW57A (NGC 3576) are among the brightest Galactic
nebulae, with a wealth of massive stars and infrared excess stars, suggestive of recent and ongoing
star formation. We present near-infrared JHKs polarization images to diagnose the magnetic field
structure in these turbulent cloud complexes. Our observations covered only the central part of
the Carina Nebula, around Eta Carina where a cavity has been created, for which only moderate
polarization is measured, mainly by the general Galactic magnetic field. In contrast, RCW57A is
associated with copious molecular clouds, and we were able to infer the hour-glass shaped magnetic
field that governs the cloud morphology.
