  We present near-infrared observations obtained with ISAAC on the VLT of the
Crab pulsar and its environment. Photometry of the pulsar in Js, H and Ks shows
the pulsar spectrum to extend fairly smoothly from the UV/optical regime. PSF
subtraction of the pulsar allows us to study its immediate neighborhood in some
detail. In particular, the knot positioned just 0.6 arcsec from the pulsar has
been revealed in the IR. Using also archival HST data for the knot, we have
measured its broad band spectrum to rise steeply into the IR, in contrast to
the spectrum of the pulsar itself.
