We present deep narrowband near-IR images and moderate resolution spectra of the young planetary nebula Hubble 12 .
These data are the first to show clearly the complex structure for this important planetary nebula .
Images were obtained at \lambda = 2.12 , 2.16 , and 2.26 \micron .
The \lambda = 2.12 \micron image reveals the bipolar nature of the nebula , as well as complex structure near the central star in the equatorial region .
The images show an elliptical region of emission which may indicate a ring or a cylindrical source structure .
This structure is possibly related to the mechanism which is producing the bipolar flow .
The spectra show the nature of several distinct components .
The central object is dominated by recombination lines of \ion H1 and \ion He1 .
The core is not a significant source of molecular hydrogen emission .
The east position in the equatorial region is rich in lines of ultraviolet–excited fluorescent H _ { 2 } .
A spectrum of part of the central region shows strong [ \ion Fe2 ] emission which might indicate the presence of shocks .