Infrared observations of the bright optical knot in RCW 108 at wavelengths from 1.2 micron to 100 microns are presented. The near-infrared continuum observations reveal the existence of a compact young cluster, still partially embedded in the parent molecular cloud. Among the compact infrared sources are a protostellar object and possibly a T Tauri star. Full spatial imaging over the cluster area enables a mass function to be derived, which agrees well with those of other young clusters. The far-infrared data reveal a bright, compact source centered on the young cluster, with morphological indications of well-mixed dust and gas in the region. High optical depths are found in the mid- and far-infrared, with visual extinctions of up to 40 mag. The large-scale characteristics of this region of active star formation are discussed, and a morphological model for the cluster is proposed.
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Straw et al. (1987) studied this question.