  Hierarchical models of galaxy formation and various observational evidence
suggest that elliptical galaxies are, like disk galaxies, embedded in massive
dark matter halos. Stellar kinematics are considered the most important tracer
for this dark halo at a few effective radii. Using detailed modeling
techniques, several authors have recently presented stellar kinematical
evidence of a dark halo for a number of elliptical galaxies. In these modeling
techniques, dust attenuation (absorption and scattering of starlight by dust
grains) has not been taken into account. Nevertheless, elliptical galaxies
contain a significant amount of interstellar dust, which affects all observable
quantities, including the observed kinematics. We constructed a set of
dynamical models for elliptical galaxies, in which dust attenuation is included
through a Monte Carlo technique. We find that a dust component, shallower than
the stellar distribution and with an optical depth of order unity, affects the
observed kinematics significantly, in the way that it mimics the presence of a
dark halo. If such dust distributions are realistic in elliptical galaxies, we
are faced with a new mass-dust degeneracy. Taking dust into account in
dynamical modeling procedures will hence reduce or may even eliminate the need
for a dark matter halo at a few effective radii.
