Context : Cometary globule 1 ( CG 1 ) is the archetype cometary globule in the Gum nebula .

Aims : We attempt to discover stars possibly embedded in the globule head and to map the distribution of ISM in it .

Methods : We analyse \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } spectral line observations , NIR spectrosopy , narrow and broad band NIR imaging , and stellar photometry to determine the structure of the CG 1 head and the extinction of stars in its direction .

Results : A young stellar object ( YSO ) associated with a bright NIR nebulosity and a molecular hydrogen object ( MHO 1411 , a probable obscured HH-object ) were discovered in the globule .
Molecular hydrogen and Br \gamma line emission is seen in the direction of the YSO .
The observed maximum optical extinction in the globule head is 9 . ^ { m } 2 .
The peak N ( \mathrm { H _ { 2 } } ) column density and the total mass derived from the extinction are 9.0 \times 10 ^ { 21 } cm ^ { -2 } and 16.7 \mathrm { M } _ { \odot } ( d/300pc ) ^ { 2 } .
The \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } emission in the globule head is detected in a 4′ by 1 \aas@@fstack { \prime } 5 area with a sharp maximum SW of the YSO .
Three regions can be discerned in \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } line velocity and excitation temperature .
Because of variations in the \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } excitation temperature the integrated \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } line emission does not follow the optical extinction .
It is argued that the changes in the \mathrm { C ^ { 18 } O } excitation temperatures are caused by radiative heating by NX Pup and interaction of the YSO with the parent cloud .
No indication of a strong molecular outflow from the YSO is evident in the molecular line data .
The IRAS point source 07178–4429 located in the CG 1 head resolves into two sources in the HIRES enhanced IRAS images .
The 12 and 25 \mu { m } emission originates mainly in the star NX Puppis and the 60 and 100 \mu { m } emission in the YSO .

Conclusions :