Champagne flow and triggered star formation in NGC 1893

Abstract

Using Hα grism spectroscopy and optical and Two-Micron All-Sky Survey photometry of the fields containing NGC 1893 and two emission nebulae, Sim 129 and Sim 130, we show the presence of a number of Hα and near-infrared excess sources towards the region between HD 242935 and the two emission nebulae. Among them a large majority of these pre-main-sequence candidate sources are concentrated towards regions closer to Sim 129 and Sim 130. Age distribution of these sources (viz. main-sequence stars in the cluster, including HD 242935, young sources located in the region between HD 242935 and two nebulae and those located inside Sim 129) obtained from their positions in optical V, V − I colour–magnitude diagram strongly suggest ‘small-scale sequential star formation’ along the axes of the clouds caused by the outward advance of ionization/shock front from the H ii region. The IRAS source, IRAS 05198+3325, identified with CPM 16 is a Herbig Be (B3) type star showing Hα and Ca ii triplet lines in emission. From the orientation of the two emission nebulae it is suggested that HD 242935 is most likely responsible for the cometary morphology of the two nebulae and the trigger of star formation in the region. From the global distribution of the interstellar material, it is also suggested that the same source is responsible for the champagne flow causing the entire molecular cloud to have a cometary appearance.