IRAS 06562−0337, the Ironclad Nebula: A New Young Star Cluster

IRAS 06562-0337 has been the recent subject of a classic debate:proto-planetary nebula or young stellar object? We present the first 2 micronimage of IRAS 06562-0337, which reveals an extended diffuse nebula containingapproximately 70 stars inside a 30 arcsec radius around a bright, possiblyresolved, central object. The derived stellar luminosity function is consistentwith that expected from a single coeval population, and the brightness of thenebulosity is consistent with the predicted flux of unresolved low-mass stars.The stars and nebulosity are spatially coincident with strong CO line emission.We therefore identify IRAS 06562-0337 as a new young star cluster embedded inits placental molecular cloud. The central object is likely a Herbig Be star, Mapprox 20 M_sun, which may be seen in reflection. We present medium resolution,high S/N, 1997 epoch optical spectra of the central object. Comparison withpreviously published spectra shows new evidence for time variable permitted andforbidden line emission, including SiII, FeII, [FeII], and [OI]. We suggest theorigin is a dynamic stellar wind in the extended, stratified atmosphere of themassive central star in IRAS 06562-0337.Comment: 25 pages (4 figures) using aaspp4.sty. Accepted for publication in A