Nebulae around R Coronae Borealis stars - Clues to their evolutionary status?

peer reviewedImaging and spectroscopy are presented of the classical R CrB star UW Cen obtained when the star was in a deep minimum. These show the presence of a faint reflection nebula, the inner parts of which display two sets of symmetrical 'jets' centered on the star. The possibilities of whether the nebular structure can be associated with last thermal pulse evolution, white dwarf merger, or the mechanism causing the characteristic R CrB minima are discussed