  We combined sensitive near-infrared data obtained with ground-based imagers
on the ESO NTT and VLT telescopes with space mid-infrared data acquired with
the IRAC imager on the Spitzer Space Telescope to calculate the extinction law
A_\lambda/A_K as a function of \lambda between 1.25 and 7.76 micron to an
unprecedented depth in Barnard 59, a star forming, dense core located in the
Pipe Nebula. The ratios A_\lambda/A_K were calculated from the slopes of the
distributions of sources in color-color diagrams \lambda-K vs. H-K. The
distributions in the color-color diagrams are fit well with single slopes to
extinction levels of A_K ~ 7 (A_V ~ 59 mag). Consequently, there appears to be
no significant variation of the extinction law with depth through the B59 line
of sight. However, when slopes are translated into the relative extinction
coefficients A_\lambda/A_K, we find an extinction law which departs from the
simple extrapolation of the near-infrared power law extinction curve, and
agrees more closely with a dust extinction model for a cloud with a total to
selective absorption R_V=5.5 and a grain size distribution favoring larger
grains than those in the diffuse ISM. Thus, the difference we observe could be
possibly due to the effect of grain growth in denser regions. Finally, the
slopes in our diagrams are somewhat less steep than those from the study of
Indebetouw et al. (2005) for clouds with lower column densities, and this
indicates that the extinction law between 3 and 8 micron might vary slightly as
a function of environment.
