2002A&A...393L..33V

The 22GHz H₂O masers in the circumstellar envelope of the Mira variable star U Her have been observed with MERLIN using a phase referencing technique to determine accurate astrometric positions. The positions were compared with the optical positions obtained with the Hipparcos satellite to an accuracy of 18 mas. The absolute radio position of the brightest H₂O maser spot is found to match the optical position, indicating that this spot is the stellar image amplified by the maser screen in front of it. The occurrence of an amplified image in the 22GHz maser can be used to accurately determine the positions of the H₂O with respect to the star as well as with respect to the SiO and OH masers. Our observations seem to indicate that the star is not in the centre of the distribution of maser spots, which has been interpreted as a ring.