The high angular resolution and dynamic range achieved by the NACO adaptive optics system on the VLT is an excellent tool to study the morphology of Planetary Nebulae ( PNe ) .
We observed four stars in different evolutionary stages from the AGB to the PNe phase .
The images of the inner parts of the PN Hen 2-113 reveal the presence of a dusty torus tilted with respect to all the other structures of the nebula .
A void 0.3 arcsec in diameter was discovered with NACO around the central source .
These data indicate the presence of a cocoon of hot dust ( T \sim 1 000 K ) with a total mass 10 ^ { -9 } M _ { \odot } in the core of the nebula .
This was not expected so close to a hot ( T _ { eff } \sim 30 000K ) central star , and our observations indicate that dust is present close to this central star .
The NACO observations of Roberts 22 reveal an amazingly complex nebular morphology with a S-shape that can be interpreted in terms of the ’ warped disc ’ scenario of Icke ( 2003 ) .
Comparing these observations with previous HST images seems to indicate that this S-shaped structure is expanding at \sim 450 km.s ^ { -1 } .
Combined NACO and MIDI ( the VLTI mid-infrared interferometer ) observations of the nebula OH 231.8+4.2 have enabled us to resolve a very compact ( diameter of 30-40 mas , corresponding to 40-50 a.u . )
dusty structure in the core of the nebula .
Finally , recent observations of the AGB star V Hydrae show that this star present a departure from spherical symmetry in its inner shell and is probably on its way to become an asymmetrical planetary nebula .
These observations show that NACO is a great instrument for the discovery and study of small structures in circumstellar envelopes and PNe and a good complement to interferometric devices .