A Near-Infrared Study of NGC 7538 IRS 1, 2, and 3 (original) (raw)

We present images of the cluster of embedded young stars designated NGC 7538 IRS 1, 2, and 3 in the J (1.25 km), H (1.64 km), and K (2.16 km) broad bands ; the 1.64 km line of [Fe II] ; the 2.12 km and 2.25 km lines of the 2.17 km Brackett c H-recombination line ; and the 3.29 km "" unidentiÐed ÏÏ dust H 2 ; feature. The NGC 7538 IRS 2 compact H II region, as seen in Brackett c line emission, possesses a cometary morphology. We Ðnd evidence for a shell-like distribution of [Fe II] line emission along the periphery of the compact H II region. This morphology and the observed intensity ratio I([Fe II] 1.64 km)/I(Brc) imply that the [Fe II] line emission emanates from shocked stellar wind material. We observe arcs of line emission immediately exterior to the [Fe II]