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

IRAS 06562-0337 has been the recent subject of a classic debate: is it a proto–planetary nebula or a young stellar object? We present the first 2 μm image of IRAS 06562-0337, which reveals an extended diffuse nebula containing approximately 70 stars inside a 30″ radius around a bright, possibly resolved, central object. The derived stellar luminosity function is consistent with that expected from a single coeval population, and the brightness of the nebulosity 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 in its placental molecular cloud. The central object is likely a Herbig Be star, M ≈ 20 M⊙, which may be seen in reflection. We present medium-resolution high signal-to-noise ratio 1997 epoch optical spectra of the central object. Comparison with previously published spectra shows new evidence for time-variable permitted and forbidden line emission, including Si II, Fe II, [Fe II], and [O I]. We suggest that the origin is a dynamic stellar wind in the extended stratified atmosphere of the massive central star in IRAS 06562-0337.